It's Not A Dream
by KneelingAngel
Summary: After a deadly car accident Ella and her little brother George are thrown into Middle Earth. Spotting the dwarfs talking about a quest. She decides to go with. If she goes with will she find a way back home or will she stay with a certain dwarf, who has captured her heart? And would she take away her little brothers dream world? Rated T, just to be safe :3 FilixOC I own nothing! :3
1. The Beginning

**The beginning of everything**

"George, will you hurry up! You have to hurry up if you want to make it to the party!" Ella yelled to her little brother.

She looked at her watch and sighed. Her parents were supposed to drop George off at his friend not her but as always they just left them alone, not caring. She was going to be late. She had promised Dean she would be in time for the movies. She sighed one more time.

_The one time I get a date and this happens! _

Finally George came running down the stairs almost tripping over his own feet. After pushing his glasses up and straightening himself he looked up at his big sister.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

George just nodded and tried to catch his breath. She smiled and took her brothers hand as they walked out the door toward the car.

"I call shotgun!" George yelled as he ran to the passenger seat. Ella just shook her head and smiled at her little brother. Finally they were off on the road.

It was winter so it was dark very early in the evening. Stopping in front of a traffic light, Ella looked at her watch again. 17.30, _Great _she thought to herself and looking at little George sitting in the passenger seat in his pajamas.

"Aren't sleepovers for girls?" She looked at George with a teasing smile on her face.

"It's not a sleepover! It's a pajamas party." He said seriously.

After a couple of seconds of awkward silence the siblings started laughing. Traffic light turned green. Ella laughed and pushed the gas paddle. Not noticing the car that was about to hit them full speed. The two cars crashed. The car spinning, rolling over the road. Another truck hitting the breaks as the driver saw it all happen but it wasn't enough. The truck hit Ella's blue Volvo, busting in the roof.

No sound came from the two siblings. Not even a small breath

**XxX**

Ella's eyes jumped open, sitting up straight with a gasped.

She looked around. _George! _

"George!" She yelled, remembering what happened. "George!"

She jumped up seeing her little baby brother sleep. She exhaled in relief. He looked so peaceful.

"_Could you not do that?! You'll blunt them!" _She heard a voice say when suddenly she heard a choir of voices sing. "_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!" _ With a loud knock on the door the singing stopped.

She opened the door a little just to see what was going on.

She could only see peoples back. _Who are they? _She thought. _What is going on? _

She heard chatter about a mark on the door when, a small man with big feet, walked past.

"Mark? There is no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!"

Suddenly see saw a old man with long gray hair and a long beard.

"Holy shit!" She whispered. _That man looks a lot like Gandalf! _She thought to herself. _He wo_uld _diffidently win the Hobbit cosplay contest. _

Seeing how big he was comparing to the house and the little man was extraordinary. But as the men left the hallway she could finally get a good sight of the little man. Her eyes widened in disbelieve.

_Bilbo Baggins?! What the hell is this? Where the hell am I?! Is this some kind of sick joke?! _She shook head. _It's all a dream_, she said to herself, _It's all a dream._

But it didn't feel like a dream. With hands in her hair, she fell to the ground.

_What the hell is going on?! _

Rubbing her head she felt a little bump and a little cut on her head. It hurt. After thinking for a couple of minutes thinking about what had happened and about where she was, she left the room, sneaky on her bare feet. She wouldn't want to get caught. Who knew what these men would do to her.

Leaning against the wall she listened.

_"They say this quest is ours and ours alone." _She had heard this voice before.

_"You're going on a quest?" _Bilbo asked.

"_Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." _That was Gandalf. She could recognize that voice anywhere, after seeing the Lord of the Rings movies a thousand times_. _

_Holy shit! _She thought to herself again. Holding her breath as she stood behind the wall trying to make herself as skinny as possible to not be see by the Hobbit nearby, grabbing an extra candle. She exhaled softly as Bilbo walked back into the room where her came from.

"_Far to the east over rangers and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands lies a single solitary peek." _Gandalf spoke. Ella couldn't resist anymore she had to see what they where talking about. It would probably be the map they where talking about. Just like in the trailer she had seen. She was supposed to go and watch The Hobbit with Dean tonight.

_Why did this have to happen tonight? _ She was lost in thoughts again and forgot to follow the conversation. She shook Dean out of her head for a second. _No Ella, not now! _

_"…The reign of the beast would end._"

_Beast?! _She couldn't remember that coming up in the trailer.

"_So what beast?" _Bilbo Baggins continued.

"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the terrible," another one continued she tried to see who it was but she couldn't remember his name, was it Bifor, or Bofur? She couldn't remember. "…_Airborne fire breather, teeth like razors, clause like meat hooks, extremely fond of precious metal." _

_"Yes I know what a dragon is" _Bilbo said.

_Dragon?! _Ella leaned more against the wall, almost showing herself.

"_I'm not afraid! I'm up for it! I'll give him a taste of dwarfish iron, right up his jaxy!" _Ella couldn't help but let out a small giggle at the threat of a young man.

A face turned, Ella quickly covered her mouth and leaned back, just a little.

"_The task would be hard enough with an army behind us, but we number just thirteen and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest._" Ella looked at Balin, happy to remember his name.

Disagreeing sounds surrounded the table but suddenly stopped as someone hit the table. Ella slowly moved just a little closer to see who was talking.

"_We may be few in number, but we're fighters. All of us. Till the last dwarf!" _He hit the table Ella looked at the blond dwarf and thinking that he was kind of cute.

_"And you forget,"_ the dark dwarf next to him continued, _"We have a wizard in our company. Gandalf would have killed hundreds of dragons in his time." _

She looked at Gandalf choking on his smoke.

"_How many then?" _Ella looked a man with weird braids. "_How many dragons have you killed?" _

Gandalf now choking on his pipe.

"_Go on. Give us a number!" _

Again disagreeing voices grew louder.

A loud roar silenced the room. Making Ella scream a little. Again a dwarf turned his head.

_Shut up, Ella! _Taking deep breath she calmed herself down.

"_If we have read these signs, do you not think that others would have read them to?" _Ella not remembering his name, but she remembered that he was the leader of the pack.

Silence.

Everybody listened to their leader speak. "_Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the mountain, assessing, wondering, wading the risk…" _Ella listened to his voice. It was so full of confidence. She admired it._ "… or do we take this chance to take back Erebor?!" _

Cheers for once entered the room_. _Ella caught herself smiling and stood up slowly.

"_You forget. The front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain." _Balin said as the others calmed down.

"_That my dear Balin, is not entirely true." _Gandalf said while letting a key appear.

"What the hell…?" Ella whispered to herself a little to loud, causing one of the dwarfs to stand up._ "_How did he…?"

The conversation continued while Ella tried to wrap her head around how Gandalf magically let the key appear, when the blond dwarf spoke again.

"_If there's a key then there must be a door." _

_"_No shit Sherlock." She whispered to herself, rolling her eyes.

"_There is an other way in" _The dark one said. Ella looked at the two handsome dwarfs. Just looking at them until she was awoken by the loud voice.

"_He said he's an expert!" _

_"No, no, no, no, no! I'm not a burglar. I have never stolen anything in my life." _Bilbo said.

"_I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." _Balin said with a small sigh after he was done talking.

The dwarfs grew loud again. Then Gandalf rose. The room grew a bit darker. Ella let out a little scream again. She never liked it when this happened. Not even in the Lord of the Rings films. "_IF I SAY THAT MR. BAGGINGS IS A BURGLAR, THEN A BURGLAR he is."_ Gandalf said turning normal again.

"What are you doing?!"A voice behind Ella said causing her to jump in the air.

She turned around and saw Bifor or Bofur or what ever his name was standing behind her. He wore a funny hat and his hair looked like he stole it from Pipi and colored it black.

"You scared me!" Ella said. Suddenly she saw that all the dwarfs, Gandalf and the Hobbit were looking at her. _"_Oh crap." She said softly and look at the men staring at her.


	2. Just Keep Breathing

**Just keep breathing.**

She swallowed hard. _Oh Lord, help me. _A big, bald dwarf took her by the collar and dragged her into the dining room. The leader approaching her, he looked quit scary.

"Please don't hurt me. I didn't mean to… I mean… I… Sorry. I woke up and... And got curious!" Ella said scared trying to yank back but the dwarf still had her by the collar.

_Wait, what? _She looked down at her clothes. This wasn't what she was wearing when they were back home. "Let me go! Please…"

"QUIET!" The leader shouted causing Ella to shut up and calm down. "Who are you?" He still asked with a harsh tone. "How much did you hear?!"

"Thorin!" Gandalf barked looking at the scared young girl. "Enough!" Thorin took a step back.

"We found her." Kili said.

"She was unconscious, we couldn't just leave her." Fili continued "We couldn't just let a she-dwarf in the forest alone with a child."

"What?! You calling me a dwarf?! You are a dwarf!" Ella yelled

"Then what are you?" Balin asked.

"I… I… I don't know." She said softly looking down.

"But where is the child?" Gandalf asked.

"He's still sleeping in the room." Ella answered.

"You stil didn't answer my questions!" Thorin growled.

The big dwarf let go of Ella. "My name is Ella-Ryan. Or just Ella." She said quickly. "And I didn't hear anything! The only thing I heard was something about a quest and a dragon and a beast and something about a burglar and a magical door." She said trying not to look at Thorin who just sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Then of course there was a key that magicaly appeared." Ella continued with wide eyes, still not knowing how it appeared.

Thorin turned facing the girl again, an angry look in his eyes.

_Shit Ella! You had to go there. _

"But I'll just leave, and you men can continue with your conversation." She said quickly and tried to walk away. But the big bald dwarf caught her by her collar again.

"Oh no you don't lassie!" He said. "Sit!" He pushed Ella to the bench that he was sitting on.

"Ow! You could just have asked me!" She growled at the bald dwarf, still not remembering his name. Thorin looked at the hobbit then to Balin.

"Give him the contract."

"But what about the lass?" Balin asked Thorin.

"She comes with us too." Ella could hear a regret in his voice. "You'll have to share the contract then."

Giving the contract to Bilbo Ella stood up from her seat and went to go and stand beside the hobbit. Thorin stood up and whispered something in Gandalf's ear. It was too soft for Ella to hear but she didn't think it would be anything good. Trying to read the contract in this weird handwriting was hard. Then Bilbo was mumbling something about the contract.

"Injuries limited to lacerations… Eviscerations… Incineration?!"

"Ooh, Ay! He'll melt the flesh of your bones in a blink of an eyes." The hatted dwarf said.

"What?!" Ella shouted with eyes wide open. Apparently Bilbo took it harder then her.

"You alright, laddie?" Balin asked Bilbo.

"Yeah, just feeling… a bit… faint."

"Think furnace with wings." the hatted dwarf continued.

"I need some air." Bilbo said.

"Flash of light, searing pain, then poof you're nothing but a pile of ash."

Ella leaned against the wall looking at the hobbit. He looked like he was about to faint.

He sighed. "No…" Bilbo said and fell to the floor.

"You're very helpful Bofur." Gandalf said to the dwarf.

_Okay, so that is Bofur. Oh Lord what have I gotten myself into. _Some of the dwarfs picked up Bilbo and carried him into the living room. Ella was still sitting against the wall, head in her hands. She felt someone standing over her. She looked up and saw the handsome blond dwarf.

"Fili," he reached out his hand. "At your service." He said with a smile.

Ella took his hand and stood up. "Ella, at yours." she said.

"Oy! What's going on?" the dark haired dwarf approached with a grin on his face. "Kili, at your service." He bowed.

"Ella, at yours." She said again but this time bowing just a little.

The handsome dwarfs laughed. "What?" Ella questioned. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." The brothers said together, still smirking.

"Come on tell me. What's so damn funny?" She asked trying not to smile as well.

"It's just that…" Fili said.

"… We didn't expect you would so beautiful…" Kili said.

"… You know, after the way we found you and the child in the forest." Fili said. Ella turned red, causing the brothers to laugh even more.

Ella shook her head. "Wait, you two found me?"

"Aye." Fili said giving her a little nod.

"Why didn't you just leave me? You guys don't know me."

"Well, you're a dwarf aren't you? We couldn't just leave you." Kili said.

"I bet there are enough creatures that would want to harm a lovely she-dwarf as you." Fili said.

"Do you guys always do this?" Ella asked.

"Do what?" They asked together.

"Never mind," Ella said shaking her head. "I think I should get back to bed if I am going to join you on your journey. It was nice to meet you."

"Goodnight, My Lady." The brothers said in a choir, while Ella walked towards her room.

She walked past Balin and Thorin who were talking. "…Loyalty, Honor, a willing heart. I can ask no more then that."

Ella stopped for a second.

"You don't have to do this," Balin said to Thorin. "You have a choice. You have done honorably, by our people. You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains. A life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more then all the gold in Erebor."

"From my father to my grandfather, this has come to me." Thorin said. "They dreamed of the day that the dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me."

"Then we are with you, laddie."

"And so am I." Ella said. She had heard truth in Thorin's voice. Thorin looked at Ella. "I know that I don't look like much." She looked at Thorin. Not letting go of his eyes. "But I have no where else to go." She felt tears coming up.

Balin and Thorin looked at her in silence. "Do you know how to handle a weapon?" Thorin asked her.

"What?" Ella looked at him. "Well, I-I know how to throw knives. And I can give a mean punch if I have to." She said smiling a bit.

Thorin sighed.

"Go and get some rest then." Balin said. Thorin looked at Balin not believing that Balin just invited her into the group. He wasn't pleased. Ella nodded at the men in front of her and left for bed.

"_Why did you do that_?!" She heard Thorin snap at Balin.

"_You heard her. She has nowhere else to go." _

She stopped right before her door listening to the dwarves. Balin was defending her. She couldn't believe it.

"_But she can not even handle a-"_ *Thump* A knife flew into a wall half an inch from where Thorin's head was.

"Hope that answers everything!" Ella shouted from the other end of the hallway before entering her room. Thorin looked down to Balin who was just smiling.

"Not a word." He said to Balin and walked towards the other dwarves. Balin couldn't help but smile. It was going to be a long journey for the young king.


	3. The Journey Starts

**This is where the journey starts.**

Ella opened her eyes. It was still a bit dark outside. _What time is it?_ She turned her head trying to see the clock that stood on her nightstand. But it wasn't there. Then she remembered. She turned her head to the other side and saw George still sleeping. His blanket was only over his legs, his arms were laying above his head and his pajama shirt had crawled up his round belly. George was 6 but he had never lost his baby tummy. Ella stepped out of bed and pulled George's blanket a little higher and she kissed her little brother on the forehead. She heard voices and feet walking across the floor. She sighed remembering. _Please let it be a dream, please let it be a dream. _She thought. She walked out of the room closing the door quietly behind her. Walking on her bare feet toward the voices.

"Good morning, My Lady. Dori at your service." Ella closed her eyes and frowned a bit. _Guess it's not a dream after all. _"Ella, at your service." She tried to say with a smile on her face. "Tough night, lass?" Bofur asked. Ella looked at him. Bofur stood up. "Bofur, at your service." "Ella, at yours , Master dwarf" she said with a smile . "My Lady, would you like a cup of Chamomile?" Dori asked. "Yes please." She said moving her bangs out of her eyes. _Bangs?! What the hell?! _She jumped up and felt her hair. She had long hair! What happened to her short wild hair?! "Ya' alright, lass?" Bofur questioned. The two dwarves looked at Ella with confusion. "Um, yeah. I'm alright, I'm alright! I just didn't notice how long my hair was." Her eyes still wide, the two dwarves still looked at her. "So what's for breakfast?" Trying to break the tension. "Anything that is left I guess." Bofur said. Dori gave Ella her cup of tea. "Mmmm… This is really nice thank you Dori." Fili shuffled into the kitchen. "Morning Fili." Ella said to the blond dwarf. "Hphr…" "Kili keep you up again?" Dori asked him while Fili sat next to Ella. "He was hitting me in his sleep again." Fili said grumpy. Ella looked at his face. There was a small cut on his cheek. "Why can't he just sleep like a normal dwarf?" Ella had gotten a cloth from the sink and put some cold water on it and she pushed it against Fili. Fili flinched from the cold on his cheek. He looked at Ella. "Thank you." He said. "What's this?" Kili came running in and looking odd toward his brother and Ella. "This is what happens when you hit me in the face, while you are sleeping." Fili said with a smirk on his face. Ella giggled a little and smiled. "Well now that I am up, it's my turn." Kili's smirk grew bigger. Ella threw the cloth towards Kili. "Help yourself." She laughed as she stood up. "Well let's start preparing some food." Bofur said to the others. "We can't have them sleeping all day. Fili, Kili go see if you can find any food. And Miss Ella would you be so kind to prepare the table with Dori?"

After finding some food and setting up the table, dwarves came running in. "If you want some to, lass, you should dig in now." Bofur said. Ella gladly took a seat next to him and started eating. "Can't you guys quiet down? I was trying to sleep!" George had woken and stood leaning against the kitchen wall. Just standing there with his sleepy eyes. Ella smiled. "Hey Baby Boy… Did you sleep well?" Ella said reaching her hand out to her little brother. George walked toward her and sat on her lap. "Guys this is my little brother George." Ella said with a smile. Everybody introduced themselves. Bifor, Bofur, Bombur, Ori, Nori, Dori, Oin, Gloin Balin, Dwalin Kili and Fili. "At your service" They all said in a choir. _My God, better hope I'm good with names. _She thought to herself. "You want some breakfast?" George nodded at his sister. "Here you go lad." Bofur place a plate full of food in front of George. His eyes widened. "That is a lot of food." He said causing the dwarfs to laugh. "Better eat everything." Kili told George. "You might not get breakfast like this for a while." "What? Why?" George looked at Ella with said eyes. "You haven't told him yet?" Kili looked at Ella. "No not yet," Ella trying to point out the obvious. "He was sleeping!" "Where are we going then? George asked Ella. "Well… What do you think of going on an adventure?" George's eyes widened. "Really?! Are we going on a real adventure?!" "Yeah but only if you want to come." "Of course! Can we go Ella? Pleeeaaassseee?" "I already said yes" George swung his arms around his sister. All the dwarves smiled and continued eating. "Better eat up then." Fili said. George did as he was told and everybody was now enjoying there breakfast. Ella had made a plate for Thorin and Gandalf before all the food was gone, just incase they wanted some breakfast too. "Alright everyone, go on and pack your things." Balin ordered after everyone had eaten.

Ella and George left the table and went to their room. Well actually, George ran to the room, excided to go on the adventure. He ran towards the room but he wasn't looking if anyone was in his way and he ran into Thorin, hitting his head against Thorin's back and falling backwards. Ella ran to her little brother and helped him up. Thorin looked at the little boy and let out a grunt. Ella rolled her eyes. Once on his feet George ran toward the room again, Ella following. She turned to the king before walking into the room. "There is breakfast on the table if you want some." Thorin turned to face her and gave her a small nod and Ella entered her room.

"Look Ella!" George yelled at his sister. He had found his bag. He pulled up a shirt. "This isn't mine." He said showing his sister the shirt. He looked in the bag again and also found a pair of pants and boots. Ella looked surprised and opened her bag as well. All there stuff had changed. Ella looked in her handbag or the bag that was her handbag. It looked more like a backpack. Her eyes widened as she pulled out a tunic, two legging, a belt and a coat plus a pair of boots that stood on the side of the bed.. "Where the hell did these come from?!" she said. But George didn't pay any attention. He was to busy getting dressed. Ella looked at the clothes she was wearing. She wore a dark magenta colored tunic with a dark vest kind of jacket and a dark pair of pants. She also had a neon green stripe on the side of her bangs. _What is happening? _Someone knocked on the door causing Ella to snap out of her thoughts. She opened the door. Gandalf smiled down at her. "Good morning My Lady." Gandalf said. "Good Morning to you to Mr. Gandalf." "I have a couple of blankets for you for the journey." Gandalf handed her two small and two big blankets. "Why thank you, Gandalf. But I don't think that Mr. Baggins will be happy if we take his blankets." "Don't worry, my dear. He won't mind." Gandalf answered with a smile. "Wooooow!" George stood beside his sister. "You are really tall!" He told Gandalf. "Maybe you are just really small, young Master." Gandalf smiled at George. "Now pack your thing. We will be leaving soon." Gandalf said and walked away.

After Ella quickly packed their stuff she had one last look at the room to check if she hadn't forgotten anything. She put their bags outside the room and went to the kitchen to see if she could find some food for on the way. The only thing she found was an apple. _Well it's better something then nothing. _She took their bags and went outside. She stood beside the horses and wondered which one was hers. "Fili! Kili" She heard Thorin yell. "You found the woman and the child! So they ride with you!" "Yes Uncle!" They answered. Fili and Kili walked toward the siblings. "Come on." Fili said to Ella taking her bag. "Thank you." She smiled at Fili and he returned her a friendly wink. "So Master George," Kili asked. "Who do you want to ride with?" George smiled at the Kili. "Can I go with you? Unless you want to get tortured by my sisters talking." He had a evil but cute smile on his face. Kili couldn't help but smile. "Alright then. You ride with me" He lifted George onto the horse and stepped up himself. Fili took Ella by her hips and lifted her on his pony. Once he was settled to the group was on their way. Ella put her arms around Fili's waist. Fili looked down for just a quick second and couldn't help but smile.

"Can't believe we traveled all this way to Bag End for nothing." Kili said. "I agree" Fili said. "Guess you're our new burglar now, Ella." "Ha, in your dreams." Ella said. "I know he'll come." "Really?" Fili looked over his shoulder. "Want to bet on it?" He sent a quick look to Kili. "15 silver coins." Fili said. "I don't have any money." Ella stated. "Well then what do you want?" Kili asked. Ella thought for a moment. "If Bilbo eventually joins us then I want…" She thought again. "Then I want one of your daggers." Ella looked up at Fili. She hadn't seen the movie yet but she knew a bit what was going to happen. I mean come on it wouldn't be called The Hobbit if there was no Hobbit. And besides she needed something to defend herself with. Fili was quiet for a moment. "Every well, but if he doesn't come. What do I get?" "I don't know what do you want?" Fili was thinking and looked at his brother. "If Bilbo doesn't come," Kili said, "Then you do what we want the rest of the journey." "I agree with my little brother." Fili said. "Very well!" Ella sent a sneaky smile and a wink toward George. George couldn't hold his laugh in anymore. "What?" Kili asked George. "Ella never loses a bet." He told Kili. "One time I made a bet with her and I lost all my cookies. But she did give them back though." Kili and Fili looked suspicious at Ella. "What?" Ella looked back at the brothers. "You two wanted to bet." "Well," Kili said, " Fili never loses a bet either." He looked at George. "We'll see. We'll see."


	4. Baby of the Group

**Baby of the Group**

"Wait… WAIT!"

Ella looked behind. It was Bilbo running towards them.

"I signed it!" Bilbo gave the contract to Balin.

"I win." Ella softly whispered in Fili's ear.

"Everything seems to be in order." Balin said. "Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

There were soft cheers and laughter.

"Give him a pony." Thorin ordered. Ella had to hold her laughter in because it just sounded so funny.

"No, no, no… That won't be necessary, thank you. I'm sure that I can keep up on foot. I-I-I-I have done my share of walking holidays, you know. Even got as far as Frog Morton once." Before Bilbo knew it Fili and Kili grabbed him by the shoulders and lifted him on one of the ponies, Myrtle.

Ella had to put her hand across her mouth to hide her laugh. He looked so funny on the little pony.

"Pay up, Fili." Ella said.

"I'll give you the dagger when we stop for dinner." Fili said.

"Promise?"

"Yes I promise." Fili said rolling his eyes.

Kili and George just laughing at them. "Okay Kili. Now give me your cookie. I won too you know." George said to Kili. Kili pulled a cookie out of his pocket. He gave it on last look and gave George the cookie.

"You bet too?" Ella asked Kili.

"Yeah!" George answered. "Only, we bet on you and Fili."

Ella looked at Kili. "You made a bet with my little brother?" She asked the dark haired dwarf.

"What did you want me to do? He said you always win and from what I know, so does Fili."

"Guess that's not true then." Ella said teasingly but with a dark look toward Kili smirked at his brother and rode a little faster so that he would ride next to Oin.

"Come on Nori, pay up!" Oin shouted to Nori.

"Guess that we weren't the only one to make bets, uh?" Ella asked Fili. Fili just let out a quick sigh.

"Wait, wait, stop stop!" Bilbo shouted. "We have to turn around!"

"What on earth is the matter" Gandalf asked him.

"I forgot my handkerchief."

"Here," Bofur said, tearing a piece from his shirt. "Use this."

Bilbo caught it and looked weird to the piece of cloth in his hands. The men started to laugh. "Move on." Thorin ordered.

"Hey, Bilbo!" Ella said as they past him. "Guess you don't have to blow you nose anymore now."She smiled at the hobbit.

**XxX**

Ella leaned her head against Fili's back. "Tired?" Fili asked.

"No… Well, maybe just a little." She said. "You weren't the only one who got hit in your sleep. George kept kicking me, so it was a bit of a long night."

"You have to keep awake." He said. "I don't think that Thorin would appreciate you falling asleep."Fili straightened his back so that Ella couldn't rest her head anymore.

"Tell me about yourself." "What?" Ella looked up. "Tell me about yourself. We don't really know you." Fili repeated.

Ella took a deep breath. "What do you want to know me?"

"Well for example; Do you have any other sibling?"

"Well, I have three younger siblings if you include George, but I don't see them much." Ella said.

"Why?" Fili asked.

Ella knew that he was trying to keep her up. She didn't like it, but it worked. "Well they live with my mum. My parents split up when I was nine."

No sound came from Fili.

"What?" She asked him.

"Your parents are not together?"

"No they're not." She told him. "But my dad remarried a couple of years later to a woman who is Georges mum."

"So George isn't actually your brother?"

"No he is. We have the same father."

Fili was silent again.

"We just don't have the same mum that all." She added quickly trying to make him understand.

"So you are the oldest?"

"No I have one older brother, Jim, he's twenty-two. But he's in-"

Fili cut her off "Twenty-two?! Then how old are you?!" He asked.

"I'm nineteen." Ella said but Fili just started laughing.

"Oy, Kili! Did you hear that?!" Fili slowed down to ride next to his brother again.

"What?" Kili asked.

"Our lass here is nineteen!"

"Ey, lads!" Kili yelled to the group. "We got a baby in the group!" He laughed and the men started laughing with him.

"What is so damn funny?!" Ella growled.

"The fact that you are nineteen." Fili said still laughing.

"How old are you then?" She asked a bit angry.

"Eighty-two," Fili said. "And Kili is seventy-seven."

"That makes you older them my grandmother!" Ella said looking at Kili and back to Fili. "Where I'm you're lucky if you even turn 70!"

"But how old is George then?" Fili asked.

"I am six." George said proudly not having followed the conversation. The dwarves burst out laughing again. A loud sigh came from Ella and she laid her head against Fili again.

"Can we talk about something else, please?" Fili turned his head towards Ella.

"Very well." He said with a nod still trying to hold in his laugh.

"Do you have any family Kili?" George asked. "Well Fili is my brother, so I have to say yes."

"You two are brothers?" George asked.

"Yes."

"But you don't even look alike."

Ella couldn't help but smile at her little brother. "I mean," He continued "You have dark hair and Fili doesn't." Kili really tried to hold in his laugh.

"And why don't you have a beard like everybody else?"

_Oh no, here we go again. _Ella thought.

"And why don't you have any braids? Where I am from braids are for girls. Putting you hair up too. And most people don't even have beards. My dad had one once…" George was rattling on about beards and braids and all kinds of weird stuff.

Ella wrapped her arms a little tighter around Fili's waist, listening to her little brother.

**XxX**

"I though he said that you talked to much?" Kili said to Ella after a couple of hours.

She could help but to laugh at the handsome dwarf. _Poor Kili._ George just kept on talking. His light blond hair was still a mess from this morning and his big glasses were dirty. Ella loved her little brother. He could always make her smile.

It was getting late and the group had found a place to rest. Fili and Kili when off scouting, taking George with. He still wouldn't shut up.

So Thorin had sent him with them. Bifor and Bofur where making a fire and Bombur was making dinner. The rest of them were unpacking. Ella helped Bombur with the food. Because according to Thorin, that's a women's place. Sometimes she just wanted to hit him in the head with a frying pan, just like in Tangled. Ella sat in front of the fire when the boys returned George was completely covered in dirt. Ella shook her head. George ran up to her and hugged his sister.

"What happened to you?" Ella questioned. "Please don't tell me you had anything to do with this." She looked at Kili who walked by.

"Here" Fili said, placing himself next to Ella. He had a small dagger in his hands. "I believe this belongs to you now." He said with a smile. Ella took it in her looked beautiful in the late sun.

"Thanks Fili. It's beautiful." She looked at him. "How do I put it on my belt?"

"Let me show you." he said. Fili placed the small dagger on her left hip. "There, you're already to look like one of us" Fili and Ella smiled at each other for a moment, just a second or two.

**XxX**

"Come on, George." She said to her dirty little brother, taking his hand. "Let's go get you cleaned up."

George took her hand. Together they walked down to the river they had passed with the horse. Ella and George took off their boots, rolled up their pants. George took off his glasses and pulled off his shirt. The water wasn't cold and it wasn't warm it was just perfect. Ella cleaning her little brothers face as George washed his hands and arms.

"How did you get so dirty?" She looked at her little brother.

"I my foot got stuck and I fell."

"Well it's a good thing you didn't break anything." She smiled upon her adorable little brother. "Remember a couple of years ago, when I tripped over Pebbles and broke my arm?"

"Yeah." George said with a smile on his face. "You had to go to the hospital and the doctor ended up asking you on a date." He said laughing.

"Yeah." Ella pulled a face, remembering the way to old doctor.

"Do you think that mom and dad know that we are here?" George suddenly asked.

"Of course they do." Ella lied. She never liked lying to her little brother but she didn't want to freak him out. "And after we kill the dragon and take back Erebor we'll go home."

"I think we would need to take a shower before we go home. Because I don't think that mum will be happy if we get back home covered in mud." George joked.

"Well the I guess you have a problem my little friend." She joked back to her little brother. "Because you are so dirty that no even a bubble bath filled with rainbows and unicorns can clean you."

George splashed water in his sister's face. "We you aren't the cleanest either!" he yelled as he ran away from his sister. Ella laughed while rubbing the water out of her eyes, when suddenly she heard a splash.

George had been pushed back in the water by a group of men. "Well, well, well look what we have here boys." One of then men spoke. Ella reached for George's arm as the men stepped closer. There were five of them. They where all covered in dirt. You could even smell them from a mile away. So maybe it wasn't her brother that smelled so bad. Ella pulled George closer. The five men surrounded them.

"Aren't you a little far from home?" the man whom Ella suspected to be the leader. "My, my. You must be the first dwarf I see without a beard and no braids as well. I must say you are the prettiest dwarf I have seen though."

"What do you want?" Ella said trying to say with a strong voice.

"Well, I thought a pretty young thing like you would know."

Ella's eyes widened in fear. "You can have me but you have to let my brother go." She said. George looked up at Ella. Fear in his eyes.


	5. Knights in Shining Armor

**Knights in Shining Armor.**

The leader thought for a second. "Sorry sweetheart, we can't have him tell anyone."

"He won't" Ella said quickly. "There is no one here besides us. He won't tell anyone."

There was a panic in her voice. She quickly took a quick look at the way where to camp was. It was only for a second but still a second to long. Ella pulled George closer as the group came closer.

One of them grabbed Ella and the other took George. George let out a scream.

"No wait! Please!" Ella begged with tears in her eyes.

**XxX**

"Foods ready." Bofur said to the others.

The dwarves quickly stood in line waiting to get their supper. After everybody had their bowl of stew, Bofur realized he had forgotten someone.

"Where's the lass and the boy?"

The dwarves, hobbit and the wizard looked around. Even Thorin had heard Bofur and was looking. Nobody could see or find them. Thorin stood knowing they were missing. They heard a small scream. Everybody jumped to their feet. Dropping their food and grabbing there weapons. Listening. Waiting for another scream. There it looked toward the river.

"Ella." Fili said and ran toward the river. Everybody followed.

**XxX**

"Let him go, you bastard!" Ella yelled. "He's only a child!"

George screamed again before one of the men covered his mouth.

"If you hurt him. I'll break your neck!" She barked.

The leader took Ella by her neck. He lifted her up so high that her feet came above water. Ella hanging on to his hand trying not to choke.

"If you do as I want…" He smelled her neck. " Your little brother will be just fine. But if you don't," He said with a smile. "then I will drown him. Is that clear?"

Ella nodded with tears in her eyes and looked at George. He was crying and trying to wiggle his way out. Another man stepped toward him and hit him in the face.

"NO!" Ella screamed, now crying.

"You better do as I say," THe leader said pulling Ella closer. "Or you'll be the one responsible for his death." He said with a smile and kissed her jaw.

George was still fighting to get away.

"Now make him stop!" The leader yelled. "Do it!"

His hand tightened around Ella throat. Ella held on a little tighter trying no to choke. "Now!"

An arrow shot through the man's chest. The man who was holding George fell to the ground.

"Run George!" Ella yelled. "Run! Go!"

Fili and Kili came running out of the bushed. Kili grabbed George by his arm and pulled the shirtless boy behind him. The man holding Ella pulled out a knife and held it against her throat as she was pressed against the man's chest.

"Let her go!" Fili growled at the man holding Ella, his swords ready in his hands.

"Aw look. If it isn't the knight in shining armor." The man said mockingly. "Look princess," he whispered in Ella's ear, still loud enough for Fili to hear. "Your beloved knight has arrived! He has come to save you."

He pushed the knife in her flesh causing it to bleed. He licked up the blood that was running down her neck. "I must say fair knight, " he said licking his lips. "She tastes magically delicious."

Fili turned red in anger. A battlecry came from him and he ran closer.

"A-a-aaah," the man said cutting more in Ella skin. "You take one more step and I'll cut her throat!"

With a roar the others came from beyond the bushes. Ella counted seven of them including Fili and Kili.

_Oh Lord, please! Please get us out of this mess! _Tears started running down her face.

"Well, well… Look what we have here." He looked at the dwarves. "And I thought you said that you were alone." He said in Ella's ear.

Ella just looked at Fili with tears running down her face and fear in her eyes. Suddenly the three other men fell to the ground. Swords were sticking out of their backs.

"Let her go Mosco!"

The man turned around, knife still against Ella throat.

"Oooh, well if it isn't Thorin Oakenshield!" He looked the king up and down. "This one yours?" Mosco asked Thorin pointing at Ella with his head.

"That is no concern of yours!" Thorin growled.

"So you won't mind me killing her, then?"

"You put another finger on her and I'll kill ya!" Fili yelled from behind them. The dwarves were holding his arms so he couldn't do anything.

"Let her go Mosco," Thorin said a little calmer. "She is no good to you!"

"Well, I think I can get some good money for her." Mosco said with a smirk on his face, running his dirty fingers up and down Ella's cheek.

Suddenly a knife pierced through Mosco's chest, an inch away from Ella's head. As Mosco fell dead in the water Ella turned around and saw Fili behind her. More tears started running down her face and she hugged Fili, not letting him go.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you…" Ella kept on repeating with a soft voice.

The other dwarves stood and looked at them for a while. "Lets get her back to camp." Balin said standing next to Thorin.

"Come on." Fili said comforting trying to walk away. Ella didn't move and kept on hugging Fili.

Fili smiled. He put one of his hands behind her knees and one behind her back and carried her back to camp. Almost forgetting her boots, Bofur went back with Bifor to get them.

Fili put her down on the ground near the campfire. Ella was shaking and not just because she was cold but also because she was in shock. They put a blanket around her and Bombur brought her a bowl of stew and a piece of bread as Fili sat next to her.

"ELLA!" George shouted.

Ella's eyes grew alert. George ran up to his sister and hugged her. Ella holding her baby brother as tight as she could, not ever wanting to let him go. She started crying again. Tears of joy flowing down her face, happy to hold him again. Fili went to his own brother, who had been keeping an eye on George.

"I am so sorry!" She said through her tears.

George looked at his sister. She looked so scared. He wiped away her tears and kissed her on the cheek.

"You're bleeding." George said to his sister. "Maybe they have a plaster for you."

George jumped up and asked the dwarves for a plaster. Everybody shook their head, properly because then never heard of plasters. George ran to his bag and turned this bag inside out, trying to find a plaster. Ella smiled. George always liked playing doctor.

Something cold was pushed against her neck. Ella flinched and tried to get away.

"It's okay, it's okay. It's just me, Fili." Ella turned her head and met Fili's blue eyes. "Calm down." He said softly cleaning her wound. "Does it hurt?"

Ella just nodded.

Fili sighed. "You shouldn't be going out alone, you know."

Ella looked at the campfire. She heard a bit of concern in Fili's voice.

"I'm sorry," she said after a while. "I didn't mean too."

She sounded like a child who just broke something valuable. "It just that George…" she started crying again.

"I know." Fili said putting down the piece of cloth.

He tried to meet her eyes but she just looked down to the ground, crying. He placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. This caused Ella to cry even louder. Fili kissed her head, put his chin on her head and rocked her back and forth a little.

"I almost got him killed," Ella swallowed. "Again." She added.

Fili frowned, not understanding but he thought it was best not to say anything.

"Look what I found in your bag Ella!" George came running up to the two dwarfves almost tripping over his own feet.

Ella lifted her head. George had found a SpongeBob plaster in her bag. He pushed Fili to the side and carefully placed the plaster on his sister's neck.

"There." George looked at his sister. "Now you don't have to cry anymore." He said with a small smile giving his sister a quick hug.

"You seem to be an excellent healer, young master." Balin said placing his hand on George's should. "How are ya feeling lass?" He asked Ella.

"Better, thank you."

"You should get some sleep." He said looking at George.

"But I can't sleep!" George stated. "I have to take care of Ella!"

Kili stepped up. "We will do that for you George. Your sister will be safe with us."

Kili looked at his brother and back to George.

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

"Cross your heart?!" George asked seriously.

Kili didn't understand. He just nodded and placed a hand on his heart, not knowing what to do.

"Cross my heart!" He repeated.

George kissed his sister goodnight and looked seriously in his sister's eyes. "These men will take good care of you."

He let his sister go and took Balin's hand. "THEY PROMISED!" he shouted before placing his head on the pillow. Ella forgot her tears and smiled.

"I think I owe you two my life." Ella said looking at Fili and Kili.

"Don't worry about it lass." Fili answered, "I'm just glad that we were there in time." He gave her a small smile.

"And I guess George owes you his." She said towards Kili.

"I couldn't have George harmed too." Kili said. "He is like a little brother to me." Kili looked at George. "I always wanted to know what it would be like being a big brother."

He smiled at his older brother. Fili patted Kili on the shoulder.

"It can be fun sometimes, dear brother, unless of course you little brother is Kili." Fili said.

Ella laughed maybe a bit to loud.

"There's the Ella we where looking for." Kili said with great joy.

"You guys are real heroes." Ella told them.

"You must mean knights in shining armor." Fili joked.

Ella turned a bit red and laughed again. She leaned her head against Fili's shoulder and before she knew it, she fell asleep between her two knights in shining armor.

**Hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I liked writing it.  
Please share your thoughts. I would really like to think what you guys think :3**


	6. Gone To Far

**Gone To Far**

**It's a bit of a long chapter.. Hopefully you still like it… Enjoy :3**

_"Ella!" she heard a voice. _

_"George!" a scream came. _

_Ella opened her eyes. She was in her car. She could see people staring at her car. Hands over their mouths, tears in their eyes. She could see the cops pushing her father back. George's mom was scream out for her baby. Tears were in their eyes. _

_"George?" Ella tried to turn to her younger brother. But she couldn't, she couldn't even move. "George?!" she yelled. No answer came. She started to panic. "George! Answer me!" Tears started rolling down here eyes. "GEORGE!"_

_"Their still alive!" A voice shouted. _

_They ripped out the door. A fireman cut her free and pulled. Ella turned. She could see her little brother. He was hanging upside down still in his seat. Blood was dripping from his forehead. A big pool of blood was beneath him. _

_"GEORGE!" Ella yelled. "Let me go! You have to help him! George!" _

_Ella couldn't do more then yell. Her body was numb. "Let me go!" She yelled at the man again. "GEORGE!"_

Ella eyes opened. Her nose was pressed against Fili's. When she saw that it was him she blushed a little.

_George!_ She remembered her dream. Quickly she looked down. George was lying between her and Fili. His head pressed against the fur on Fili's coat. Ella smiled a little and let out a sigh in relief.

_What the hell?! _ She felt an arm around her waist. Ella looked over her shoulder. Kili was laying on her other side. Ella softly removed his arm and sat up.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Some of the dwarves were already up. Dwalin walked up to her and lend her a hand.

"Sleep well, lassie?" he said with a smirk on his face.

_Is he smiling?_

"Um yeah, I guess." She turned a bit red.

Dwalin let out a small but loud laugh. Ella's eyes widened in surprise. _Did he just laugh? Miracles still do exist._

"Good morning Ella," Bombur said. "Care for some breakfast?"

Ella nodded fast. "I'm starving."

"Well, 'course ya are!" Bofur said. "You didn't touch you stew last night_._"He smiled.

Bombur past her a small bowl with some food. Ella stuffed her mouth full and before she knew it she had eaten it all. George started turning in his and moved closer to Kili. Ella turned around.

"Don't worry lass," Balin said. "He will be fine." An awkward silence fell over the group.

"Well let's wake the others!" Bofur suddenly said and jumped up. "Bombur be ready with the food!"

Bombur got the food ready as the others awoke the rest. Ella walked to her little brother and her 'knights in shining armor'.

"Fili, Kili wake up." Ella gave them a soft kick. The dwarves just turned.

"Breakfast is ready." She said rolling her eyes. Fili and Kili opened their eyes and Kili pushed himself up.

"Well Good morning to you too." Kili said rubbing his knee where Ella had kicked him. George was still lying against Fili's chest.

"George," Ella sat on her knees beside Fili and her sleeping brother. She rubbed his arm like his mother used to do. "You have to get up now." Her hand moved through his hair. Slowly he opened his eyes.

"No," he said sleepy. "I don't want to. Five more minutes."

Fili looked up at Ella and smiled.

"Come on, little man." Fili said pushing himself up as well. "If you want breakfast you'd better hurry. We don't want Bombur eating it all."

Fili picked up George and brought him to where the other were having breakfast. Ella stayed behind and looked at Fili. She was lost in her mind for a couple of seconds and follow after them.

**XxX**

After they had all eaten, they packed their stuff. Ella was about to jump on Fili's horse. But then...

"Ella! You ride with me!" Thorin ordered.

He didn't look that happy. Ella looked at George who sat behind Kili on his horse.

"Don't worry," Kili said. "I'll take good care of him."

"ELLA!" Thorin shouted. "Get over here. NOW!"

"I'm not a dog!" Ella barked. "You can't just shout at me like that!"

"Will you just get over here?!"

Ella took a deep breath and stomped towards the leader. "If he talks to me again that way, the I'm going back to Fili." She mumbled to herself as she pasted the others_. _

Ella pushed herself up Thorin's pony and turned her back against his. She could see Kili say something and she heard his laughter. "Let's go!" Thorin shouted toward the others. Ella crossed her arms as she sat backwards on the horse. She could see some of the men laughing at the site. Ella gave them a dirty look and they stopped.

**XxX**

"What do you want?" Ella asked, a bit pissed off, after a couple of hours.

"I want you to be careful!" Thorin was even more pissed of then her. "What you did yesterday, I do not want to see it again! You put yourself, the child and my men in danger!"

Ella felt a bad. It wasn't just George she put in danger, it was the rest as well.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking down. "I wont happen again."

"It better not!" Thorin growled. "For the next time I will not be there to help you!"

Ella lifted her head; there was something in his voice.

"Nor will my men! Do I make myself clear?"

"Why do you hate me so much?!" She growled at Thorin. She turned on the horse. Her head was now facing Thorin's back. "It's not like I wanted it to happen!"

Thorin was silence but Ella felt anger rushing through his veins.

"I would never want to hurt anyone! Especially not your men!"

"SILENCE!" Thorin barked "I have had enough of you!"

Ella jumped of the horse.

"And where do you think you're going?!" Thorin shouted at her.

"I'm going back to ride with Fili!" Ella shouted as calm as she could.

"GET BACK HERE!" Thorin shouted. "NO!" Ella shouted back. "YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

Thorin jumped from his horse and grabbed Ella by the arm.

"Thorin let her go!" Balin told the king.

He didn't listen.

"Aw!" Ella yelled trying to get her arm loose. "You're hurting me!"

"THORIN!" Balin said cross.

The company stood still as they watch Ella and Thorin.

"It's getting dark." Balin said calm. "Maybe we should make camp around here."

Thorin was breathing heavy, his chest going up and down. He loosened his grip on Ella's arm and she pulled her arm back. Apparently Balin was the only one Thorin would listen to at times. Ella walked past Fili and Kili and took her bag from the horse.

"Where are you going?" George asked as he to jumped from the horse and ran after his sister.

"George, I need you to stay with Kili!"

"But where are you going?"

"For some air. Now do as I said!" Ella yelled at her little brother and stomped away.

"We are camping here for tonight!" Thorin shouted to his men as he jumped back on his horse.

Kili took George's hand. "Don't worry." He said calmly to the little one. "She will be back before you know it." He gave George's hand a soft squeeze and together they followed the others.

**XxX**

They said up camp in silence. Nobody said a word. Bombur and Bofur made diner. Oin and Gloin got a fire going as Kili and Ori took George to get some firewood. Dwalin and Bifor were sharpening their weapons; Dori, Nori and Fili had gotten some logs they could sit on and Balin and Gandalf were trying to calm Thorin down.

Thorin was pacing back and forth on the side of the hill. It had a beautiful view. You could see miles beyond.

"Thorin." Balin spoke. "Will you calm down?!"

"How could she talk to me in that way?!" Thorin said angry. "I am a King!" he was breathing heavy.

"Maybe she doesn't know that." Gandalf said. "She is not familiar with these parts of Middle Earth."

"I do not care if she is familiar with it or not!" Thorin shouted at the wizard. "I will not have her or the child with us anymore!"

"But Thorin…" Balin was silenced as the king looked him in the eye.

"Do not try and talk me out of it! My decision is final!"

"Ella is just a young girl, Thorin." Gandalf said. "She was probably still in shock from yesterday."

Thorin looked at the wizard in silence.

"The child almost died! And she blames herself for it."

"My men could have been killed too!"

"Yes, but they know how to defend themselves and Ella does not." Gandalf argued back. Thorin didn't look pleased.

"We could teach them." Balin said. "The men have grown fond of her as well as the child. Especially your nephews."

"They are distraction to this quest!" Thorin said.

Gandalf took a deep breath. He knew that the dwarf was stubborn but they couldn't just leave them in the middle of nowhere. "At least let her stay until we find someone else who can take care of them."

Thorin took a few more steps as he saw Kili and George coming back with firewood. There was something different about Kili when he was with George. "Very well." Thorin said even though he knew he was going to regret it.

**XxX**

Ella walked through the forest. "That… That… Bastard!" She told herself kicking leafs and twigs aside. "I should have thrown that dagger at his head when I had the chance! I would have been doing us a favor!"

She remembers the day when she said she would come with.

"You had to go, didn't you Ella?!" Ella put a hand on Fili's dagger. "You almost got George killed again!" Ella was yelling at herself. "Why couldn't we just have died in that car crash, like every other normal person?! You had to be different again, didn't you Ella?!And you had to bring George into this too, didn't you?!"

Angry tears were running down her face. Ella found a large rock to sit on. "You couldn't just have gone to heaven or something?!"

She pulled her knees up to her chest. She laid her head in her knees. She started crying again. "George doesn't deserve you." She told herself. "He's better of with Fili and Kili anyways."

She heard someone walking towards her. She quickly pulled out the dagger and threw it at the shape in the corner of her eye.

"Ella? Are you al…" *_Thump__* "_What in the name of Durin?!"

Ella turned to see who it was. There stood Fili, trying to get the dagger out of his shirt.

"Fili?!" Ella yelled. "What are you doing here?!"

She quickly whipped away her tears and ran to the dwarf.

"Well, first of all I was looking for you. You were gone for a while and George and the rest of us started to worry." He still couldn't get his arm free. The dagger was pretty deep in to the tree. Ella had caught his sleeve. "Second," He continued trying to wiggle the dagger out of the tree. "I am trying to get my arm, free!"

He finally got the dagger out. Ella smiled a little.

"How long have I been gone?" she asked Fili.

"Maybe about four hours." He handed her knife back. Ella first now noticed that the sun was almost gone. "Come on, let's go back." Fili said reaching for her hand

"No." Ella said pulling her arm moved back to the rock that she was sitting on before. Fili placed himself next to her. In silence they watched the sun go down. Fili noticed her wet knees and her red eyes. He took a deep breath.

"Don't worry about Thorin." Fili said breaking the silence. "He is just concerned. That's all."

"Well he has a great way of showing it." Ella rubbed her arm where Thorin had grabbed her. It hurt, probably bruised. "I just don't belong here." She continued. "I am not one of you! If I can't defend myself, then how on earth am I going to protect George? I can't believe I got him into this. I'm a terrible sister!"

"Hey, don't say that!" Fili put his hand on her shoulder. "You did everything you could yesterday." He looked her in her eyes. "Come on, let's go back. Supper is about ready."

He reached out his hand, waiting for Ella to take it. Unsure of what to do, Ella put her hand in Fili's.

**Hope you enjoyed.  
In the next chapter I will put more George-Ella moments. :3 I'll post it soon!**_  
_


	7. Stay Awake

**Stay Awake.**

Fili led Ella towards the camp. She could hear their laughter. Ella froze.

"Ella, what's wrong?" Fili asked.

"I can't," Ella said. "After the argument…"

"Don't worry about Thorin. I won't let him harm you." Fili pulled her toward the camp again.

"ELLA!" Everybody yelled lifting their bowls of pipes.

"Ella!" George ran towards his sister and game her a big hug. "I was so worried." George slapped her in the arm. "Don't you ever do that again, missy!" he said in a fatherly tone.

Ella smiled a little.

"Ella have you been crying?" George looked concerned. "What did you do?!" He looked at Fili.

"George, don't worry." Ella took George's hand. "I just miss home that's all."

Ella took a seat on one of the logs and Fili walked toward his brother and placed himself next to Kili. "Saved you some supper." George gave her the bowl with food.

**XxX**

After Ella was done, she felt a hole lot better. Ella and George sat around the campfire. George was tired and leaned against his sister.

"I miss mum." He said suddenly, Ella placed her arm around him.

"I know." She said comforting "Me too."

"I want to go home." She kissed his head.

"Why? I thought you like being here?" Ella asked him

"I do, but…"

"Hey, hey… It's ok." She pulled George on her lap. "We'll find a way back home, I promise." She rocked him back and forth. "You have been very strong and brave. Maybe even more then me." Ella gave her little brother a look. "I'll be stronger, ok?"

George nodded. "I'm sorry that you had to miss you date because of me." George said after a couple of minutes.

Ella grinned. "Don't worry about that. I'm just glad to be here with you." She pulled him closer. "Try and go to sleep." Her hand slowly went through his hair. "It's gonna be a long day tomorrow." And slowly George fell asleep.

**XxX**

Bilbo had laid down George's bedroll near the campfire.

"Thanks Bilbo." Ella put George in his bed and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight, Baby Boy."

She moved to her backpack ready to make up her own bed. She bent down and to a step closer. Ella stepped on her hair and tripped over. Fili and Kili were rolling in laughter.

"That's not funny!" she snapped.

"Oh, but it is!" Kili laughed.

Ella sat up and pulled the grass and twiggs out of her hair. "Why did it have to be so long?" She mumbled to herself.

"Come here!" Fili and Kili laughed. She struggled towards them, dropping herself between the two brothers. They removed the grass and twigs from her hair. After getting everything out they started braiding her hair.

"What are you guys doing?!" She said looking at the two.

"What does it look like?" Kili said with a smirk on his face but eyes serious. Fili sat crossed eyes a little, his tongue sticking out of his mouth just a little. "Braiding your hair." Kili said.

"I thought braiding each others hair was like a sacred thing." Ella answered.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ella." Fili said joking, still trying to concentrate.

"You really don't know much about dwarves do you?" Kili said. Ella shook her head.

"Hold still!" Fili said pulling her hair. "Now I have to start all over."

Ella giggled. For a moment she forgot everything. The car crash, her parents, the fight with Thorin. She looked a Bilbo who gave Myrtle an apple, Bombur snoring so hard that the moths around him couldn't get away and she could see Ori writing something in his journal. The other dwarves had fallen asleep or were resting.

Suddenly a screaming sound came from across the fields. Ella moved closer to Fili. George had awoken to the sound and had run to his sister for protection.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked.

"Orcs." Kili answered.

"Orcs?" Bilbo asked again.

"Oh no, please don't let that be true." Ella said moving closer to Fili, pulling George to her as he came running. Thorin had awoken to and was now sitting straight up.

"Throat cutters," Fili answered. "There will be dozens of them out there. The Low Lands are crawling with them."

Ella moved herself and George closer to Kili. She stared at Fili. He said it like it was something normal. She had seen Orcs in the movies and she grew a bit scared. Not for herself but for her little brother.

"They strike in the wee small hours when everybody is a sleep. Quick and quiet no screams."

Ella moved away again.

"Just lots of blood."

George looked at his sister; she could see that it scared him. She heard Kili and Fili laugh. Ella got angry, She wanted to scream at them for scaring her and her brother but before she could say anything Thorin stood up.

"You think that's funny?" He looked at his nephews. "You think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?"

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili said looking at the ground.

"No you didn't," he said. "You know nothing of the world!" He walked toward the edge of the hill.

Balin was standing next to them. "Don't mind him laddie." He said. "Thorin has more cause them most, to hate Orcs."

Fili and Ella's face turned to Thorin.

"After the Dragon took the Lonely Mountain. King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf Kingdom of Moria. But out enemy had gotten there first." George pulled his knees up against his chest, carefully listing to the story. Ella could just imagine how the dwarves were fighting. She had always had a fantasy how things would have looked. "Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs, led by the most vile of all their race, Azog the Defiler. The giant had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began, by beheading the king." Ella could see it all happening in her mind_._ "Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know." Ella looked Thorin.

_Poor Thorin._

"We were leaderless. Defeat and death, were upon us. That is when, I saw him. A young dwarf prince, facing down, the pale Orc. He stood alone, against this terrible foul. His armor rent, wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield." George's eyes grew in excitement. "Azog the Defiler learned that day, that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken." Ella could imagine what had happened to the pale Orc. "Our forces rallied and drove the Orcs back."

She could see Thorin leading an army against the Orcs. She felt bad for yelling at him. He had been through so much.

"Our enemy had been defeated." Balin's face grew sad. "But there was no feast, nor song that night." Balin continued, "For our dead, were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived. And I thought to myself, there is one who I could follow," Balin looked at the leader. "There is one, who I could call king." Everybody was standing on there feet, looking at the king with respect. Even Ella and George.

"The pale Orc?' Bilbo asked still sitting on the ground. "What happened to him?" Thorin stepped closer and looked at the hobbit. "He slunk back into the hole whens he came." Ella could hear anger in his voice. "That filth died of his wounds long ago." And with that Thorin walked away.

"Thorin," Ella shouted softly "Hold on!" Ella looked at Kili. "Put him to bed, will ya?" And quickly she ran after the king.

**XxX**

Thorin was sitting on a rock, looking up at the moon and stars.

"Thorin." Ella said quietly.

"What do you want?" he asked her, looking straight ahead.

Ella took a deep breath. "I wanted to say, I'm sorry." Ella moved closer. "It was wrong of me to yell at you." She stopped and looked at the ground. She was pulling the bottom of her tunic with her fingers. Bad habit. Thorin looked at her.

"It's just," Ella bit her bottom lip and looked up at the king meeting his eyes. "I don't like being yelled at or being ordered around. But I see now that you have a lot on your mind, with the dragon and everything." She looked back at the ground. "It's just something I'll need to get used to, I guess."

"I see you have a lot on you mind as well." Thorin said. Ella didn't expect to hear anything from him.

_"I don't want to go to sleep" _Ella heard George yell.

"_You have to!" _Kili yelled back.

"I think I should be heading back before George does something to Kili."

A small smile crossed on Thorin lips. "Very well." He said and Ella gave him a little nod before turning around and heading back to camp.

**XxX**

"What the…?" Ella's eyes were wide. George was running around shirtless as Kili chased him down missing one boot.

"Ella," Fili said from beside her. His feet and his hands were roped like a calf in a rodeo. "Help!"

The others were just laughing as they saw how Kili and Fili were trying to put George to bed.

_Guess living in Tennessee for the last three years were handy after all. _

Ella just laughed with the others. "Come here, you!" she said to George catching him. Kili had run out of air and fell beside his brother, who was still struggling to get loose.

"Kili, my dear little brother," Fili said with his sweetest voice, looking up. "Would you mind cutting me loose?" He said with his teeth pushed together.

Kili let out a laugh and cut his brother loose. Ella looked at them for a second.

"Time for bed." She said to George still in her arms.

"No please don't make me go to bed!" George said. "I don't want the Orcs to come and get me!"

Ella realized that George wasn't joking. "Where did you get that idea from?"

"Kili said that-"

Ella shot Kili an angry look. "Kili is an idiot!" She turned George around so that she could look him in the eyes. "The Orcs won't come for you." Ella looked at Kili again. "But if Kili isn't careful, one might come after him!" Ella looked at her little brother again.

"Please don't make me go to bed."

"Alright then," Ella let out a small sigh sat down on George's bedroll, beside the campfire, she had George between her legs. George leaned back.

Ella remembered a lullaby her mother used to sing to her when she couldn't sleep. _Let's see if I can remember the words. _Ella started;

"Stay awake, don't rest your head,

Don't lie down upon you bed,

While the moon drifts in the skies,

Stay awake, don't close you eyes."

Ella felt George falling asleep against her.

"Though the world is fast asleep,

Though your pillow's soft and deep,

You're not sleepy, as you seem,

Stay awake don't nod and dream."

"Stay awake, don't nod and dream."

George had fallen asleep, but so had the dwarves. Ella smiled when she looked around. Fili was laying on his stomach where George had bound him, roped scattered around him. Kili was lying with his shoulders over his brothers back, drooling a little over Fili's jacket. Oin and Gloin had fallen asleep against a tree. Ori, Nori and Dori were lying over and around a big rock. Bifor and Bofur were sharing a log and Bombur wasn't laying far behind on the grass. Balin and Dwalin were sharing a tree as well. Bilbo was laying next to the fire and she was pretty sure that she heard Thorin snore a couple of yards back.

Ella looked at Gandalf he was still up smoking his pipe. He gave her a little smile and a nod. Ella looked back at her little brother and softly lay him down in his bed. She place herself beside him and pulled a blanket just over his chin.

"Goodnight, Baby Boy." She said and kissed his head before falling asleep.

**Thanks to Cmusiclover92 for the Lullaby suggestion :3  
Hope you enjoyed.  
More to come, so keep checking the updates ;3**


	8. You did what!

**You did what?!**

*Drop* Ella wiggled her nose. *Drop* Ella slowly opened her eyes. George was lying against her. He was asleep, the blanket around him was soaking wet. Ella sat up looking around. Someone had put a blanket around her. It was soaking wet as well. Water dropped from her braids down to the ground.

EVERYTHING was soaking wet.

It had been raining lightly. Ella stood up and the water ran from her body to the ground. Everybody was still asleep.

"Well isn't this just fuc…"

"Good morning, My Lady."

Ella straightened herself. "Well, good morning to you too, Gandalf." Ella said shaking the water out of her ears. "Have you been up all night?"

"Don't worry, My Lady." Gandalf said. "I have had my share of sleep."

_Don't think I believe you, wizard. _

"You should go and wake the others." Gandalf said to Ella. "But be careful with Dwalin and Thorin. They can be a bit..." Gandalf was looking for the right word. "…Grumpy." he finally said.

"No shit, Sherlock." Gandalf raised an eyebrow. "I am Gandalf, I do not know who this Sherlock is."

"Right…" _This is awkward _"I'll go wake the others then…"

She headed towards Bifor, Bofur and Bombur. Ella let out a little giggle when she saw how much water had gathered in Bofur hat.

"Bifor, Bofur, Bombur." She shook their arms and kicked Bombur's foot

"Come on you guys, wake up."

Nothing. They were still asleep. Ella tried again a little louder this time.

"Guys, wake up!"

Again nothing. Ella took a step back.

"WAKEUP!"

All the dwarves jumped to their feet, grabbing their weapons as fast as they could.

"What is it?! What's going on?! Are you alright?!" Thorin shouted. Fili and Kili surrounded George and pushed him behind them. Kili pulled an arrow in his bow and Fili had his swords in his hands.

"Nothing!" Ella said putting her hands in the air, quickly turning to the king. "It's just time to wake up! I'm fine!" She said soft but shocked after seeing the dwarf's reaction. Everybody lowered their weapons. Water was dripping from their clothes and hair.

"Well," Bombur said. "Who wants breakfast?"

**XxX**

"Okay," Ella said after breakfast. "I'm gonna get changed. Just so you know." She grabbed her bag and walked towards the trees close by.

"_Go and make sure that the girl doesn't get herself in trouble." _Ella heard Thorin say to someone. She looked over her shoulder and saw that Fili was coming her way. She stopped and waited for him. They walked towards the forest. She pointed at the rock in front of a tree.

"I don't do shows." She said with a smile. "I'll yell if there's anything." She walked behind the trees.

"As you wish, My Lady."

"I am not a Lady!" Ella shouted back with a litte laugh in her voice.

She pulled her wet, dark magenta tunic over her head and switched her trousers with on of the leggings. She looked at her arm. There was a thick blue line on her upper arm, where Thorin had grabbed her. As she looked at her arm, her eyes suddenly moved towards her side. There was a large scar on her left hip.

"What the hell?!" Her eyes were wide. She ran her fingers across it.

_"Are you alright, Ella?"_ Fili yelled from the other side.

"Um… Yeah, I'm fine." she said still looking at her scar. Truth be told, she wasn't.

"Where did you get that?" Ella turned around. Fili looked at the scar on her hip. Ella didn't want to yell at him for looking, he was concerned, she was just glad that she still was wearing her bra. Fili moved closer. "Ella?" Fili looked her deep in her eyes. "Who did this to you? What happened?"

Ella could hear a little anger in his voice."Nothing." She said quickly. "You wouldn't understand anyway." Ella quickly pulled a dark red tunic from her bag and quickly pulled it on. Fili hadn't moved. "It's non of your concern."

"Ella, tell me." Fili said strict.

"You wouldn't understand!" She snapped at him, grabbing her clothes and bag. Fili still hadn't moved. "I'm fine."

"Don't lie to me, Ella." Fili said grabbing her arm as she tried to walk back to camp. "Not to me." Fili frowned as he looked at the scar again.

"I'll tell you, but another time." She took his hand. "Please don't spoil my mood." Ella said with a smile looking into his eyes. "I just want to laugh again. It's been hard for me already." Ella kissed his cheek and walked back to camp.

"You alright lass?" Bofur said looking at Ella's arm. The tunic she was wearing didn't have long sleeves like the other on.

"Yeah." She nodded her head. "Why wouldn't I be?" Ella looked at George. "Here, put this on before you get a cold." She gave him a shirt and a jacket.

"Alright everyone. Go pack your stuff!" Thorin ordered. The dwarves and the hobbit did as he said.

**XxX**

Ella sat on a log and trying to tie her wet boots. It didn't seem to work.

"May I?" Ella looked up and saw Bilbo.

"Sure."

Bilbo tied Ella's boots. "There you go." He patted her knee and took a seat next to her.

"Thanks." Ella replied with a smile.

"How is you arm?" He pointed at her bruise.

She looked at her arm. "It hurt's a bit but I'll be fine." She rubbed her arm. "I've been through worse." She smiled.

"Ella! Bilbo! We're leaving!" Ella rolled her eyes to Thorin.

"Bossy, isn't he?" Bilbo said with a smile.

"As long as I don't have to ride with him again." Ella said back. Bilbo laughed and they walk toward the ponies.

"Not riding with Thorin?" Kili joked.

"No," Ella smiled back. "Riding with you is more… enjoyable. Where is George?"

"He is with Fi-"

"Right here!" George said standing behind his sister.

"Where have you been? We were about to leave without you." Ella teased. "And what are you wearing?"

"Fili gave me his cloak so I wouldn't get a cold."

Ella saw Fili approaching. His chest was up and he had a smile on his face.

"Why are you so happy?" Ella asked him. "Just happy to have you riding with me again. We missed you yesterday."

Ella blushed a little. The boys were laughing as they noticed. Ella couldn't help but to laugh with them putting on her wet coat.

"Let's Go!" Thorin shouted as it started to rain. Everybody quickly jumped on their horses and rode off.

**XxX**

It rained hard. Everybody was soaking wet. Ella held Fili tight trying to get some heat from him. It wasn't much but then again, it was better then nothing. George cleaned his glasses. He couldn't see anything.

"You okay, George?"

George's lips were blue from the cold. He just nodded and leaned more against Kili.

"Come here." Kili said padding his lap. George climbed over Kili's shoulder.

His cloak was over Kili's head and he almost rode into a tree. Fili quickly grabbed Kili's reins, almost falling from his own horse and taking Ella with him. Kili pulled the cape from his head causing his hair to stand up straight. Ella was laughing so hard. He couldn't look dorkier. Kili quickly pullet his hair right when he noticed why Ella was laughing.

Fili loved Ella's laugh. She was smart and pretty and protective when it came to George. She had a lovely voice and Fili loved the way she whispered in his ear, from time to time. He loved the way she wrapped her arms around him. He loved the way he could feel her breath. She was strong, even though she hadn't showed it yet. He had started to care for the girl, more then he could explain. He would die for her, even though he had only known her for a couple of days.

"FILI!" Kili yelled.

Fili shook his head. What was he thinking?

"You alright, Brother?"

"Yes, I was just thinking."

"You thinking?" Ella said from behind him. "Well that can't be good."

Fili couldn't help but smile.

"What were you thinking about?" George asked

"Nothing of your concern."

"Grumpy isn't he?" Ella said with a small laugh.

"I am not grumpy" Fili explained. " I'm just tired and cold and wet."

"We all are, brother, we all are."

"_Are there any?" _ Ella heard Bilbo ask Gandalf.

"_What?" _Gandalf said.

"_Other wizard." _Bilbo replied.

"_There are five of us." _Gandalf said. _The greatest of our order is Sarrowman, the white. Then there are the two blueses... You know, I have quite forgotten their names." _Ella pushed her head against Fili's back like always and listened to Gandalf's story.

_"And who is the fifth?" "That would be Radagast, the brown" _

_"Is he a great wizard?" _Bilbo asked. "_Or is he more like you?" _

Ella looked over Fili's shoulder. "Be careful what you say, Bilbo." She whispered in Fili's ear. "Or he might turn you into a troll."

Fili let out a little laugh.

"_I think he's a very great wizard." _Gandalf continued. _"In his own way. He's a gentle soul, who prefers the company on animals, too others. He keeps a watchful eye over the fast forestlands to the east, and a good thing too. For always evil were looked to find a foot hole in this world." _

Ella imagined him to look like her grandfather. Her grandfather was funny and he always to stories about the good old days.

**XxX**

It had stopped raining and things were starting to dry up. The group had found a place to rest. It was an open field with a forest beside it and ruins of a house that looked like it had been burned down.

"We camp here for the night!"

_Wauw, very bright of you Mr Grumpy Pants _Ella thought to herself.

"Fili, Kili look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them." Thorin ordered the brothers.

_Again with the orders! _

_"_Oin, Gloin. Get a fire going." Thorin walked up to Gandalf who was standing in the house. Ella could see them arguing about something. Fili had jumped off of his pony and patted his head. Ella and Fili gave each other a smile. Ella was about to jump off but she stopped when she saw the wizard stomping past them.

"Everything alright?" Bilbo asked to the wizard passing him. "Gandalf? Where are you going?"

"To seek the company of the only one around here who has got any sense!"

"And who is that?" George curiously asked. "Myself! Young master!" He raised his voice at George sitting in front of Kili. "I've had enough dwarves for one day." Ella could hear Gandalf say.

"Come on Bombur, we're hungry." Thorin said facing the wizard who was leading. He turned back into the house.

Ella jumped off of the pony. "Don't say anything stupid." Fili said knowing what Ella was going to do.

"I'll try." Ella said back and walked towards Thorin.

**XxX**

"Was that really necessary?" Ella said to Thorin.

"It does not concern you." Thorin said.

"Yes it does!" Ella snapped. Why did he have to be so stubborn? "He is part of the company and so am I! You can't just send someone away after an argument! Gandalf just wants to help!"

Thorin rolled his eyes.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?! Why can't you see that he just wants to help just like the rest of us?!"

"Just like you helped a couple of nights ago?!" Thorin snapped back. Ella turned around and walked away.

"One day I'm gonna kill him, if he doesn't get himself first!" Ella shouted ad she dropped herself next to Dwalin. "Where's George?" She hadn't seen him yet.

"He had gone to Fili and Kili together with Bilbo. He'll be right back." Dwalin put a hand on her shoulder calming he down. Ella took a deep breath as Bofur brought her another bowl of 'delicious' stew.

"UNCLE! UNCLE!" Kili came running from the bushes, Fili behind him.

"What is it?!" Thorin shouted as he ran closer.

"We were watching the ponies when we noticed there were two missing." Fili said. "Trolls had taken them!"

"Trolls?!" Ella yelled quickly walking toward the brothers. "Where are George and Bilbo?! Bofur said that he was with you!"

"He and Bilbo are trying to get the ponies free." Kili said.

"BILBO AND GEORGE ARE WHAT?!" Ella pulled Kili closer by his collar. "YOU LET MY LITTLE BROTHER GO AFTER TROLLS?!"


	9. Chokehold

"HE IS SIX YEARS OLD! HOW COULD YOU?!"

"Ella put Kili down!" Thorin orderd.

"NO!" She yelled back. "Where are they?!" Ella asked. "WHERE ARE THEY?! KILI ANSWER ME!"

"I…. can't…" Kili said trying to breath.

"Ella you're choking him!" Dwalin said.

Ella let go and Kili fell to the ground. Ella walked stomped towards the forest. Everybody grabbed their weapon and ran after her.

"Ella…" Fili said. "Ella slow down!" He grabbed her hand.

"No Fili!" she snapped. "Let me go!"

"No!" he yelled back. "Your are going to get yourself killed if you don't have a plan!"

Fili pulled Ella to a hold. The others followed Kili towards the trolls.

"Don't tell me that I don't know what I'm doing!"

"Well then tell me what you are going to do!"

"I am going to get my baby brother back!" Ella yelled.

"You are. But not without a plan." Fili said trying to calm her down.

"Don't start arguing with me Fili!"

"I will stop arguing with you, if you tell me your plan!" He grabbed her arms and shook her a little.

Ella calmed down. Fili took her hand and ran toward the others behind the bushes.

**XxX**

The others were looking at three trolls. She could see George and Bilbo trying to get a knife from one of the troll.

"Flesh I need flesh!" One of them said loud.

Another one of them was about to sneeze. He reached for his handkerchief but took Bilbo with him.

The troll yelled in shock. "Look what has come out of me utter." He said looking at Bilbo covered in snot. "It's got arms and legs and everything."

"What is it?" The third one asked.

"I don't know." The one said holding Bilbo. "But I don't like the way it wiggles around." He dropped Bilbo on the ground.

Two of them surrounded Bilbo and the other saw George and threw him at Bilbo. Ella wanted to rip his head of for that but Fili was holding her back.

"Let me go!" She hissed

"No!" Fili hissed back. "We have to wait for the right moment!"

"What are you?" One of the trolls asked Bilbo. "An oversized squirrel?"

Bilbo held George close. "I'm a burglar. Hobbit!" He quickly corrected.

"A BurglarHobbit?" The one with the cold said.

"Can we cook them?" The third one asked.

"We can try!"

"He would make more then a mouth full." The fattest one said towards Bilbo. "He would be nice for desert!" He pointed towards George.

"Not when they are skinned and boned. The tallest one said. "Maybe there are more BurglarHobbits around these parts. Might be enough for a pie."

They ran after Bilbo and George but they were too quick. "Got ya!" The fattest one yelled.

He held Bilbo upside down in one and George in the other hand, his head was just sticking out. "Let me go!" George yelled trying to get his arms free. The troll ignored him.

"Are there anymore of you little fellas hiding where you shouldn't?" He asked Bilbo.

"No." Bilbo said quickly.

"Elly…!" George yelled. "Help!"

Ella's heart broke. Her baby brother was in so much pain.

"He's lying." The one with the cold said.

"No I'm not!" Bilbo said. "Hold their toes over the fire. Make them squeal!"

By that Kili jumped out of the bushes, and cut in the troll's leg. "Drop them!"

"You what?" The one said holding Bilbo and George. "I said drop them."

The trolle threw Bilbo and George at Kili. He fell backward as they landed on him. Battle cries left the dwarves as the ran towards the trolls.

"Ella stay there!" Fili yelled running out of the bushes.

"No!" Ella yelled back.

"JUST STAY!"

Ella pushed herself against a tree. She hated herself for obeying but even more for letting George get hurt. The dwarves were fighting the trolls. Even Ori fought back with his slingshot. Bilbo cut the ponies free and the almost crushed Ella as they were running. Fili jumped up the troll, who was holding George, and cut him in his hand, causing George to drop but Kili had caught him in time. Ella put a hand on her heart.

_Oh thank God! _She thought to herself. Kili was pushing George towards Ella but before she could reach him the dwarves stopped.

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off." Two of the trolls where holding Bilbo by his arms and legs. Bilbo looked so scared. Thorin threw his weapon to the ground, regret in his eyes. The other did as their leader and threw their weapons down. The trolls held Bilbo as the third one put Thorin, Balin, Gloin, Oin, Kili, Fili, Bombur, Bilbo and George in to a sack. Bifor, Bofur, Ori, Nori, Dori and Dwalin were tied to a stick above the fire.

**XxX**

One of the trolls threw some more wood on the fire.

"That hot! That's hot!" She heard someone yell.

"Don't bother cooking them." The thin one said. Suddenly he hadn't a cold anymore. "Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly."

"They should be salted and grilled with a sprinkle of sage." The ugliest one said.

"That does sound quite nice" The thin one said.

The dwarves were arguing and kicking each other. Non of them had enough space.

_Come on Ella do something! Think, think, think… _

"Never mind the seasoning. We ain't got all night!" The fat one said. "Dawn ain't far away, get a move on. I don't fancy being turned to stone."

"Wait!" Bilbo yelled. Somehow he had found a way of getting up. He stood with two feet on the ground still in his sack. "You are making a terrible mistake."

"You can't reason with them!" Dori yelled. "They're halfwits!"

"Halfwits?!" Bofur yelled back "What does that make us?!"

_Idiots. _Ella smiled a little at her thought.

"I meant with the, uh… With the seasoning." Bilbo returned to his plan.

"What about the seasoning?" The troll asked who was cooking the dwarves.

"Well have you smelt them?" Bilbo asked. "You're going to need something stronger then sage before you plate this lot up."

Angry voices came from the dwarves.

_What are you doing Bilbo? What are you planning? _

"What do you know about cooking dwarf!?" The troll said.

"Shut up!" The fat one said. "And let the flublergurblerobit talk."

"U-u-um the se-se-secret to cooking dwarf is, um…" Bilbo grew quiet for a second.

"Yes? Come on." The troll pushed. "Tell us the secret."

"Yes, yes, I'm telling you. The secret to cooking dwarf is…" Bilbo thought quickly. "Too-oo Skin them first!"

Angry voices came from the dwarves again.

"Tom," The troll said. "Give me the fileting knife."

Tom, the thin one did as he was told.

"I won't forget that! I won't forget that!" Dwalin shouted.

Ella eyes grew bright. She looked at the sky and back to Bilbo. "He's trying to buy them some time!" Ella said to herself a little to loud.

"What a load of rubbish." The one cooking the dwarves said "I have eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff 'em I say, boots and all!"

"He right," Tom said "Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf!" He went and grabbed Bombur. "Nice and crunchy!" He licked his lips and hung Bombur over his mouth.

"No wait! Not that one, he-he's infected!" Bilbo shouted.

"He what?" The troll cooking the dwarves said.

"He's got worms in his…"

_Think quick Bilbo! _

"_…_Tubes."

_Come on Bilbo can't you think of anything better?_

Tom yelled in disgust and threw Bombur down on top of Kili.

"In fact they all have!" Bilbo said quickly. "They're infested with parasites, it's a terrible business I wouldn't risk it. I really wouldn't."

"Parasites, did he say parasites?" Oin yelled

"We don't have parasites!" Kili yelled at the Hobbit. "You have parasites!"

At least Thorin found out what the Hobbit was up to and he kicked Kili in the head. _Thank you, Thorin! _Ella thought.

"I have parasites as big as my arm!" Oin yelled.

"Mine are the biggest parasites!" Kili yelled. "I got huge parasites!"

"What are you Kili? Twelve?" Ella said to herself rolling her eyes.

"We're riddled!" The dwarves over the fire said. " Yes, we're riddled." Yes we are," she heard Dori say. "Badly!" "What would you have us do them? Let them all go?!" "Well…" Biblo said.

Ella was watching but Tom was standing behind her and grabbed her foot. Ella screamed. "PUT ME DOWN!" She commanded "LET ME GO!"

"Bert, William look what I found!" Tom yelled to the fat one. "I found another dwarf!"

Bert hit Tom in the head and the third one threw Bilbo back with the others. And just as Bombur, Bilbo was thrown on top of Kili.

"That is not just a dwarf," Bert said. "that's a she-dwarf!"

Ella was hanging upside down by her foot. "PUT ME DOWN!" she screamed.

"The princess is a fighter isn't she?" Ella was doing whatever to get free.

"I'm not a princess!" She yelled.

Tom handed her to William. He took her by her other leg and shook her. "Stop moving!"

Ella just hung. Her eyes searched the dwarves for George. She could see that Kili had placed himself over her little brother.

"Should we eat her first?" Tom asked.

"What?!" Ella screamed. "You can't eat me first!"

"And why is that?" Bert asked her.

_Think Ella. Think! _

"We-well…" she stumbled. "You don't have the right ingredients!" She said quickly hoping that they would believe her.

She saw Gandalf run through the bushes. _Ella you have to do something. _

"Do you really think that you could eat me with a bit of sage? I don't think so mister!"

William shook her again. Her arm hung next to her head. She could feel her tunic slide down. "Shut up!" William yelled.

Bilbo stood up again. "She is right, you know." He said. He had seen Gandalf as well. "She-dwarves need something spicy. Not sage maybe…"

"Chili!" Ella quickly answered for Bilbo. "Chili… I'm vry tsty wth chili!" She said from under her shirt. Again she was glad that she was wearing her bra.

"You think that I don't know what you're up to? These little ferrets are taking us for fools"

"Ferret?" Bilbo and Ella said at the same time.

"Fools?"

"The dawn will take you all!"

"Gndlf!" Ella shouted hearing the wizard's voice.

"Who is that?" William said.

"No idea." Bert said.

"Can we eat him to?" Tom asked.

Gandalf hit his hit his staff on the rock and it split in two. The dwarves cheered with joy. The trolls screamed at the daylight and so did Ella as the troll holding her turned to stone. She felt the grip tighten around her leg. It hurt. Ella tried to pull her shirt a bit more up but her arms were too heavy. As the dwarves cut each other loos Ella was still hanging upside down. She couldn't see Thorin or Gandald bu she could hear what they were saying though.

"Cn smn hlp m!" Ella muffled through her shirt. She couldn't see anything except for the color red. She could hear everybody laugh at her.

"Fili, if you would catch Ella." Gandalf said towards Fili. Fili did as he was told. He stepped right under Ella, arms in front of him. "Now Ella," He said, "I need you to stay completely still, my dear."

"No sht, shrlck! T's nt lk I cn mv!" Ella shouted threw her shirt.

"Just stay still." Gandalf laughed as he hit his staff against the troll.

Ella fell into Fili's arms. She let out a little scream. She was missing one boot. Ella pulled her tunic right and Fili put her down.

"Elly!" George screamed running at his sister. Ella fell to her knees and gave him a big hug.

"Gandalf," She said looking up at the wizard. "Could you get my boot?" Gandalf smiled and hit his staff against the troll once more. Her boot fell down and Fili handed it to her.

As soon as she had it in her hands she threw it towards Kili. *Poff* It hit Kili in the back of his head.

"Ow!" He turned around to see who hard thrown something at him, but as he turned around he wish he didn't. A hand flew across his cheek.

"Ow!" He said again looking at Ella.

"That's the least you get for getting George into trouble." She picked up her boot and threw it at Fili.

"Ow!" he said as well.

"That counts for you too!" She walked towards him and pulled her boot on. "Next time I won't be so soft!" She yelled looking at Fili and then at Kili. She could see Thorin and Gandalf crack a smile at her. She puffed up her chest and walked towards them.


	10. Can't Breathe

"Sinds when do mountain trolls enter this far south?" Ella heard Thorin say as she moved closer. "Not for an age." Gandalf said looking at Ella who was now standing behind him. "Not sinds the darker power ruled over these lands." Ella looked a little concerned at Thorin. "They could not have moved in daylight." Gandalf said. "There must be a cave near by." Thorin said as he turned around and started to look for a cave. "He doesn't know when to have a break, does he?" Ella said looking up at the wizard. Gandalf looked back. Let out a sigh and followed the king.

Maybe five minutes later they had found the cave. "OVER HERE!" Thorin yelled towards his men. Ella took George's hand, gave Fili and Kili one more dirty look and walked towards Thorin's voice. Ella quickly covered her mouth and nose as she stepped closer. George did exactly as his sister. "It smells of dead animals!" she said. George looked up and nodded. Some of the dwarves entered. "Great idea! You just go and we'll stay here." She moved towards Bilbo. George just kept looking at the cave. He was so curious. Ella noticed. "Okay, go on then!" George quickly let go of Ella's hand and ran after the dwarves. He took Bofur's hand, which made her feel a little better. Ella let out a long sigh and rubbed her eyes. "Don't worry he'll be fine. You alright?" Bilbo asked and place a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, I'm just a bit tired. And my leg is killing me." She quickly added. Bilbo gave her a smile. "Thank you for helping me with the trolls." He said. "Thank you for trying to protect my brother." She smiled back. "I'm sorry for taking him with me." "Don't worry about it." She replied. "I blame Fili and Kili for that." "You did get them back." He said a bit laughing. "What I did isn't even gonna cover it!" Ella laughed.

The dwarves were coming out of the cave. George ran towards Ella. She took a few steps closer. Her leg hurt too much for running. "Ella do you know what we did?!" George asked his sister in excitement. "No what?!" "We buried a treasure!" He said. His eyes were wide. "Come on you have to see it!" He took Ella's hand and pulled her closer to the cave. "No George I don't think that's a good idea." She said covering her mouth as she came closer again. "It's your treasure, and if I see it them you'll have to share!" George didn't listen and just pulled her closer to the cave.

Thank goodness that they bumped into the wizard. "Gandalf?" George said looking up. "Do you want to see the treasure too?" The wizard shook his head. "No thank you, my dear fellow." He gave Ella a knowing smile. "I have something for you." He knelt down a little so that he was close to George. He held a belt in his had. It had a small dagger and a small sword on its side. "This is for you." He said as he gave it to George. "I hope that you will never have to use it." George's eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open. "Promise me you won't use it, unless it is necessary." George nodded as fast as he could. "Cross my heart!" He yelled and ran towards Kili and Fili to show of his stuff. Ella couldn't help but smile. She had never seen him so happy, about anything. Not even when she told him that they were going on an adventure with 13 dwarves, a wizard and a hobbit. "And this is for you." Ella turned her head. He gave her two weapons as well, a sword and an ax. "An ax?" Ella said "Well, you are going to need to throw something bigger then a dagger, my dear." Ella gave Gandalf a smile. "I recognized this sword. It's called Glaurchuil. It means, golden life. It will help you when you need it the most." He handed Ella her weapons and walked towards Bilbo.

"Need help with that?" Ella turned around. Fili was standing a yard away from her. "I do actually, but not from you." Ella irritated and turned around. "Look," Fili said. He took her arm. "I'm sorry that we let George get into harms way. It will not happen again." "It better not," Ella said serious. "For the next time I'll throw an ax at you!" It was quiet for a while. Fili couldn't hold his smile any longer. That smile made Ella giggle and she handed him her weapons. "So all is forgiven?" Fili asked while he put her sword around her waist. "Only if you promise me that you'll never do it again." Fili stood up and the two of them were chest to chest. Fili quickly grabbed Ella axe and strapped it to her back. They looked into each other's eyes for a second. Ella felt butterflies in her stomach.

"Something coming!" Thorin yelled. "Stay together!" Gandalf yelled as he pulled his own sword. Fili had one of his swords in his hand, he grabbed Ella's arm with the other and he pulled them closer to the group to see what it was. Ella quickly grabbed her bag and threw it over her shoulder. "Hurry now!" Gandalf yelled. "Arm yourselves!" Ella did as she heard and pulled her sword. It was beautiful. It was shining silver and had golden marks on it. She had never seen a weapon so beautiful.

Ella pulled George closer. Fili and Kili stepped around them. Ella's stomach felt like something was choking her butterflies. She heard branched break. "Thieves, fire, murder!" An man on a sleigh yelled. Did she see this right? Ella turned her head and looked over Fili's shoulder. Ella's eyes widened. Rabbits were pulling the sleigh. _I really need some sleep. _She closed her eyes tightly and opened them again. The rabbits were still there. "Radagast," Gandalf sighed, "It's Radagast, the brown." He tolled everybody. Ella felt uncomfortable and pulled George closer, her sword still in her hand "What on earth are you doing here?" I was looking for you Gandalf." He said quickly. "Something wrong, something is terribly wrong." "In his head." Ella whispered. Apparently Fili and Kili heard it, because their shoulders were shaking trying to hold in their laughs. Ella put her sword back into her belt as she could see that there was something, not right in the brown wizards mind. Radagast tried to come up with the thing that he wanted to say.

"Just give me a minute." He said. "Um… Oh, I had the thought it was right there on the tip on my tongue." He was freaking out. Ella stepped forward. "Just calm down." She told the brown wizard and laid a hand of his lower arm. "Oh, it was not a thought at all…" He opened his mouth. "The why the fu…" Gandalf pulled something out of his mouth. Ella quickly jumped back. "It is a little stick insect." Ella felt like she was going to be sick. Gandalf pulled him away from the group to talk privately to him.

Ella just leaned a tree, she felt dizzy. "Ella are you alright, lass?" Bufor asked. "That was just fucking crazy. I know that I have seen a lot in this quest but this is far out the craziest! I mean he just pulled a fucking insect out of his mouth and I'm pretty sure that, that was bird pooh on his face!" George put a hand over his mouth. "You just said fuck." "No I didn't." she quickly said after realizing what she said. "I-I-I said duck." "No," Bofur said. "I'm pretty sure that you said…" Ella hit him in the head. "Don't make me put my new ax into your scull." She said softly pulling him by his arm.

A howl came from a distance. The two wizards turned around and Ella stood straight on her feet again. "Was that a wolf?" Bilbo asked. "Are-are there wolves out there?" Looked at George. He looked terrified. Kili held his hand and Ella ran towards Fili grabbing his arm as tight as she could. "Wolves?" Bofur said. "No, that is not a wolf." Ella heard growling from behind her. "She turned around. She recognized the creature. It jumped on of the dwarves but Thorin cut it down. Another one stood facing her. It came right for her. Fili pushed her behind him. "Kili," Thorin yelled. "Shoot it." Kili quickly pulled an arrow in his bow and shot the creature. Ella pulled George by his collar. She pushed him against her as hard as she could. The creature fell down and Dwalin swung his ax killing the creature. "Warg-scouts!" Thorin growled. "Which means an Orc-pack isn't be far behind!" "Orc-pack?" Bilbo said. Ella's eyes grew in fear. She had seen in the movies what these creatures could do. "Who did you tell of your quest, beyond your kin?" Gandalf asked angrily. "No one." Thorin growled back. "WHO DID YOU TELL?!" NO ONE I SWEAR! What in Durin's name is going on?" "You are being hunted." Gandalf said. Ella looked down at George. She didn't even want to think about what could happen to him. "We have to get out of here." Dwalin said. "We can't!" Ori said. "We have no ponies, they bolted!" Ella's body was full of fear. "I'll draw them off." Radagast said. "The are Gundabad Wargs." Gandalf said to Radagast. "They'll out run you!" "These are Rhosgobel rabbits." He said. There was something in his eyes but Ella couldn't put her finger on it. "I'd like to see them try." He had a smile on his face. " Some one should make sure that he sees a therapist when this is all over." Ella said. Radagast jumped on his sleigh with rabbits and was off. "Come on!" Gandalf said. Fili took Ella's hand tight, Ella held George by his arm and Kili wasn't far behind him. Everybody followed the wizard.

Ella's leg was killing her, she had run out of breath and panic and pain was rushing through her veins. George couldn't run. The poor little guy was already out of breath. Ella had let go of Fili's hand; she had to slow down for her brother. Dwalin stopped and turned around ran toward George and Ella. He picked up George and placed him in his arm and he took Ella by the hand. "Come on lass!" He said. "Just hold on!" Together they ran toward the others again. The hid behind a rock and Ella heard Radagast 'drive' by. Tears were in her eyes from the pain but she had to go on. "Come!" Gandalf ordered. Dwalin had handed Ella back to Fili. "It's alright lass." Dwalin said. "He'll be safe."

They started running again. Ella heard the Wargs growl and she just hoped that the crazy wizard would be fine. Thorin stopped. Wargs were running after Radagast in front of them. "This way." Gandalf said. "Move!" Thorin ordered and again they were running. Tears were rolling down Ella cheek in pain. She fell to the ground but Fili quickly helping her up. They just kept on running. "Ori, NO!" Throrin grabbed the young dwarf by his pack and pulled him back. "Get back!" "Come on, quick." Gandalf said after the wargs were a bit further away. "Where are you leading us?!" Ella heard Thorin say when she ran past. Running over rock and fields, they saw wargs running straight to them. They quickly turned and hid behind a giant stone. Dwalin had put George down but still pushed him against the rock. Fili did the same but he did not let go of Ella's hand.

They were quiet. Ella heard a Warg stand above her she covered her mouth, trying not to scream. She could hear the Warg breathing. Thorin looked at Kili. He softly pulled an arrow in his bow and shot the animal in the shoulder. _You miss in a time like this?! _Kili shot another arrow at the Warg causing it to fall_. _Its screams were horrible and Ella covered her ears. Dwalin, Thorin and Bifor attacked the Orc riding the beast; Kili shot an arrow threw his head. Ella heard a yell cries came from the others Wargs. She quickly looked at George. Bilbo had covered his head, pushing him into his side. Everybody looked out in fear. "Move!" Gandalf shouted. "Run!"

Ella was so terrified that she couldn't move. "Ella," Fili yelled. "Come on!" He pulled her again. There was so much fear that she couldn't feel the pain in her leg. They ran down a hill. "There they are!" Dwalin shouted with George in his arm. Ella looked up. "This way!" Gandalf pointed. "Quickly!" Ella was almost out of strength but she had to keep going. They were surrounded. Fili let go of her hand and Nori pulled her further. "There's more coming!" Kili yelled. Thorin turned a circle. "Kili, shoot them!" "Were surrounded!" Fili yelled. Dwalin had given George to Ella, as he stood ready to fight. Ella put her hand on the backside of his head. Ella carried him more to the middle with some of the other. She could feel him shake. He was a little heavy but Ella didn't care. She just held him as tight as she could not letting him go. Kili shot his arrows. "Where is Gandalf?" someone yelled. "He abandoned us!" Dwalin said. "HOLD YOUR GROUND!" Thorin shouted as he pulled out his sword, it made a sound like no other when he pulled it from his belt. Ella put George down. _If I am going to die, I want to die protecting George. The Orcs don't know who they are messing with!_ With that thought she pulled her sword. George was in shock and stood behind his sister. "This way, you fools!" Ella turned her head and saw Gandalf behind a rock. "Quickly, all of you!" Thorin shouted. "GEORGE RUN!" George did as he was told and ran to the wizard. George diapered in the ground. "Thorin!" Ella shouted. A Warg was behind the king. Ella quickly took her ax and aimed. She threw her ax as hard as she would and it hit the beast right between its eyes. Thorin reached out to her and she ran towards the hole in the ground. Fili and Kili were right behind her and Thorin ripped out her ax before jumping in himself.


	11. First Meal in Rivendell

Ella held George close to her. They heard a trumped, Orcs and Wargs screaming and arrows flying through the air. Ella covered George's ears as he pushed his face into her side. An Orc rolled down the hole. He had an arrow in his neck. Thorin pulled it out and looked at it. "Elves." He growled and threw the arrow down to the ground. Dwalin walked towards a path. "I cannot see where the path leads." He shouted. "Do we follow it or no?" "Follow it of course!" Bofur yelled back. "I think that would be wise." Gandalf said. Ella looked at Thorin. He didn't seem very happy about it. _If looks could kill, then Gandalf would have been hit by spaceship_. Ella picked up George. He was tired and scared. He held on to Ella so tight that she almost couldn't breath but she didn't care because he was safe. She followed after Bofur into the path. It had tight walls and poor Bombur kept getting stuck, Bifor had to keep pushing him. Ella hummed a lullaby and slowly George fell asleep.

After an hours walk Ella could barely stand up, her leg felt like it was going to fall off. Dwalin had taken over the sleepy George and Ella was leaning up against Bofur to stand up straight. Ella hissed and groaned in pain. She wondered if her leg was broken, or at least, a crack in her bone. Finally after a couple of hours walk they came towards the end of the path. Ella gasped as she saw beautiful houses, waterfalls and there was this amazing mountain. Ella couldn't describe it. _Rivendell_, it was even better then in the movies, bigger then she had ever dreamed. Her mouth stood open. She had no words. Neither did the others. Everybody was quiet. "The valley of Imladrys." Gandalf said. "In the common tongue it is known by another name." "Rivendell." Bilbo said softly. "This was you plan all along." Thorin growled at Gandalf. "Why can't he just be happy that Gandalf saved us, again?" Ella sighed softly. Bofur holding her cracked a smile. "To seek refuge with our enemy." Thorin continued. "You have no enemy here Thorin Oakenshield." Gandalf argued back "The only ill world to be found in this valley is that what bring yourself!" _Awkward _"You think the elves will give our quest there blessing?" Thorin asked. "They will try to stop us." "Of course they will," Gandalf said. "But we have questions that need to be answered." He looked at Ella. Thorin looked down, he knew that Gandalf was right but he still didn't like the idea of asking the elves for help. "If we are to be successful this will need to be handled with tact, and respect, and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me."

Gandalf took the lead. Leading everybody down a rocky path to the courtyard. Ella still held on to Bofur but swallowed her pain. _You're a most there! _She told herself. _You're almost there._ George had awoken and walked beside his sister, helping her stay up. Ella gave him a proud smile and ruffled his hair. They walked over a stone bridge before they entered the courtyard. Ella looked down. It looked amazing! There stood two statues of Elven warriors. Ella couldn't help but to stare at them. She stared at everything, it looked so peaceful. Bofur put her down so she could stand on her own to feet but was there by her side incase she would fall over. As they waited Ella could see Thorin whisper something to Dwalin. Ella wanted to go and talk to him but decided that it was best not to.

"Mithrandir." Ella turned around and saw an Elf approach. He had long brown hair and wore a dark purple outfit. "Ah, Lyndir." Gandalf said. "Stay sharp." She heard Thorin whisper at Dwalin. _He really doesn't trust them, does he? _The Elf said something in elfish. Now Ella thought about it she didn't really know what to think of the Elf. "I must speak with lord Elrond." Gandalf said. "My lord Elrond is not here." The Elf said. "Not here?" Gandalf asked. "Where is he?" The Elf was about to speak when a trumpet was heard. Ella quickly grew alert as she recognized the way the horn was blown. It was exactly the same sound, as the sound she had heard when the Orcs were attacked. She turned around and saw men riding towards them. But the men started charging at them. "Close ranks!" She heard Thorin yell. He still had her ax. Ella was grabbed by Fili and pushed in the circle. George followed her and Ella pushed him behind her like always. She pulled her sword just incase she would need it. Bilbo and Ori were standing in the circle as well. The men where riding around. It made Ella feel like the elves were sheepdogs and the dwarves were sheep. Some of them held flags and other wore their armor. Ella didn't know what to do and she just stood there.

"Gandalf!" Ella turned to the voice and saw lord Elrond. "Lord Elrond" Gandalf greeted with a small bow. The two of them spoke in elfish. Ella didn't like it for a second. Elrond jumped of his horse and gave Gandalf a hug. "Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders." He said, "Something or someone has drawn them near." "Ah well," Gandalf said. "That may have been us." Thorin took a few steps forward. "Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain." Elrond greeted the dwarf king. "I do not believe we have met." Thorin said. _Okay, so he can be polite._ Ella thought to herself with a smile. "You have your grandfather baring." Elrond said. " I knew Thror when he ruled under the mountain." "Indeed," Thorin said. "He made no mentioning of you." _What was I thinking? _Ella thought face-palming herself. _Thorin will always be Thorin! _

"And who is this?" Elrond asked looking at Ella and George behind her. Ella stumbled a step back. Stepping with her bad leg first. "This, my lord Elrond" Gandalf said. "Is Lady Ella and master George." The dwarves took a step closer towards the siblings as Elrond moved forward. George hid himself behind Ella's coat. "Do not fear young master." Elrond said to George. "I will not harm you." George took a step to the side so that the Elf could see him but Ella pushed him back. "I don't believe you." She hissed threatening towards Elrond. _Why don't I have my bloody ax when I need it! _Ella put a hand on the dagger that she had gotten from Fili. "Do not judge me, My Lady." Elrond said to Ella. "I just wanted to make sure that he was alright." "I'm fine, but my sister's leg is hurt," George said soft but still strong. "Can you help her?" He looked at Elrond. Ella was shocked to hear George's voice. "As you wish young master." Elrond gave him a little bow. Elrond waved his hand. A young woman came walking towards them "Aafke? Would you be so kind to escort Lady Ella to the healing chambers? I believe something is wrong with her leg." Aafke nodded. Ella wanted to go but couldn't because her leg hurt too much. "Here, let me." Fili gently said. He took Ella's arm around his neck and placed his other hand on her hip. Fili looked in her the eyes and Ella nodded. Together they walked towards the healing chambers but before they left the court Ella gave Kili and Dwalin a look. They nodded and stepped closer to George. With that they turned around the corner.

"Here we are." Aafke said opening the door to the healing room. Fili place Ella on one of the beds. "You may leave, master dwarf. No harm will come to her here." Fili looked at Ella holding her hand. "It's okay." Ella said softly said. "I'll be fine. Just make sure that George doesn't get himself into trouble." Fili shot her one last looked and walked back the way he came. He didn't like the idea of her being alone with an Elf.

Aafke took of Ella's boots. "Which leg is it?" She asked. "The right one." Ella said. She wanted Fili to come back. Now that she was here alone, with an elf, she was uncomfortable. "I think we need to cut open your legging. I don't want to cause you anymore pain." Ella just nodded.

When Aafke had cut her legging open, Ella gasped in shock. Her leg was blue and black, from her ankle to her knee. The stone grip of the troll was stronger then she had thought. "Well," Aafke began, "I believe that it is only bruised. There is nothing broken. But I still suggest you don't do to many thing with it." "Thanks." Ella said with a smile. "How long will it take to heal?" "Maybe two days for the pain to go away but the bruises will stay longer." Ella let out a small smile. _Thorin is not going to be happy about this. _"You don't have anything for the pain, do you?" Aafke giggled. "Here," she said as she gave Ella a potion. "This will help. You need to take two spoons a day. I suggest one in the morning before breakfast and one in the evening before bed." Ella gave her a smile and nodded. Aafke was actually really nice.

"I suppose you don't also have something that I can wear, do ya?" Ella gave her a smile and walked towards the closet. She pulled out a long deep blue dress. "We could cut the bottom and make the sleeves shorter and we could tighten the side with the lases. Would you like to try it?" She asked. "Yes, please." Ella nodded and after cutting, shorting and lasing, Ella was done. Aafke did Ella's hair. Ella insisted to take out the braids. But Ella, stubborn dwarf that she had become, kept saying no. She like the way that Fili had braided it. Maybe she would ask him to braid her hair again? Ella heard her stomach growl. She now remembered that she hadn't had any food for almost twenty-four hours. "Someone is hungry." Aafke said. "Well, that's what you get when you don't eat for a day." The two of them laughed. It was nice not being the only woman for once. Ella softly pulled her boots on. They were dirty and didn't fit under the dress, but the dress went down to just under her ankles. So no one would really see. Ella also strapped on her sword and dagger. She placed her ax holder on the bed. "I'll make sure that they will bring it to your room." Aafke said with a smile. Ella nodded and tried to stand up. Aafke gave her a staff so that she could stand and together they walked towards the others.

"I'll see if I can get you some more dresses made." "Thank you that would be really nice." They nodded at each other and Ella entered the balcony where the others were eating.

Fili's mouth stood open a bit as he saw Ella enter. The blue dress looked prefect on her. Kili saw the reaction of his brother. He poured his elbow into his brother's arm. Fili looked at him. "What was that for?" Fili asked rubbing his arm. Kili said nothing but he gave his brother a knowing look and had grin on his face from ear to ear. Fili looked down and turned a bit red. "Well, look at this lads!" Kili yelled over the table. All eyes shot at Ella. "We have a princess in our midst!" Ella blushed. "I'm not a princess, would you stop calling me that! Thorin do you still have my AX?" Ella looked at Thorin. "Because I would like to have it back NOW." She turned her head to Kili and he quickly sat down. Everybody started laughing. "Ella! Ella!" George was jumping up and down. "Sit over here!" Ella walked as quickly as she could with her staff. She now sat between Fili and George. George took her plate and filled it with food. "George would ya calm down!" Ella said laughing. She loved to see her brother this way. This was the George that she knew. "But you always tell me to eat something when I don't feel well." George placed her plate in front of her "Yeah you're right. But this isn't something, if a horse would be make out of salad and vegetables then this would be a horse!" George just laughed and so did Fili and Kili. "What are you two laughing at? You guys are the once who haven't eaten anything and I'm not your mother so I won't feed you." Ella said laughing. Ella ate her salad as the dwarves were complaining on the lack of meat. "Just a mouth full." She heard Dori say. "I don't like green food." Ori said. "Do they have any chips?" Ella smiled. She looked around at the dwarves. She now realized how much she missed her family but she had a new family she had to worry about now.

"George?" Ella asked George holding a mug. "What are you drinking?" "I don't know but it tastes good." "George Benjamin Wilson!" "It's berry juice!" he said quickly. Ella took George's mug. She smelled it and took a sip. Kili and Fili quietly stood up, trying to get away. *Thump* "IN THE NAME OF DURIN! Not again!" Everybody was laughing and Ella cracked a proud smile. She had caught Fili's sleeve with her dagger, again. "Kili get back here before I throw my sword at you!" Kili was smart and didn't turn back. "Run Kili!" Fili yelled. "She's coming!" Ella stood up, grabbed her staff, softly hit Fili's head with it and quickly walked the direction that Kili was heading for.

"Can someone, please, help me?" Fili asked the others, because again he couldn't get the knife out. "Sorry lad." Balin said. "We don't want to get our selves killed." "Uncle," Fili looked at Thorin. "Help?" "You're on you own with her, Fili." Thorin said with a little laugh. "You should have thought twice before messing with a woman." Thorin stood up and everybody left.

Fili pressed his head against the wall. "Why in Durin's name had it to be her?"

Ella sat with the others around a fire that they had made. They were singing songs, laughing and having fun. "What did you do to Kili?" Gloin asked. "Well, why don't you see for yourself." Ella said. "KILI, YOU CAN COME OUT NOW…" Kili took a step closer to the light; everybody was rolling over the ground, laughing, as they saw the young dwarf. Ella had braided his hair into a thousand small braids. "It's not funny!" Kili barked towards the group. "Ooh, but it is lad!" Bofur said laughing over the ground. "Now you're the one who looks like a princess!" Bofur was laughing so hard that he couldn't breathe. "You guys have fun with him." Ella tried to stand up. "I'm going to check on Fili." Ella said to the group. Ori and Nori helped her up. "Make sure that he doesn't drink anymore wine." She said to Dwalin and pointed at George. Dwalin nodded. "I'll be right back." Ella told George and she kissed his head and left towards the balcony where she last saw Fili.

Fili was sleeping. One arm still stuck in the wall. For a moment Ella just stared at him. He looked handsome in the moonlight. Ella loved the way he looked when he was asleep. She loved the way that he looked at her. The way he smiled, laughed and held her hand when he was concerned. The way he held on to her when they were running from the Orcs. The way he came after her when she was sad or angry. Somehow, his voice calmed her down. She didn't know why but somehow she care about him more then the other dwarves.

Ella slowly opened the glass door. She could hear him snore. A small smile landed on her face. Softly she walked towards him. Ella pulled out the dagger and his arm dropped. He woke up. "Sorry," She said quietly "I didn't mean to wake you. I-I just thought that it would be better for you, if your arm got dome blood." "You didn't wake me." He stated and stood up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Then what was that snoring sound?" Ella asked teasingly. "That… wasn't me that was a…" Fili needed to think quickly. "That was a snore owl!" He said. Ella raised a brow. "Alright, so maybe it was me." He replied. "But can you blame me? I've been stuck here ever sinds you ran after Kili." Fili thought of his brother. "What did you do to Kili?" he asked. "Why don't you come and see for yourself?" Ella said smiling. "He's with the others. Here, come on." Ella took Fili's hand and led him towards his brother.

Fili stopped in the hallway as he could see his brother. He looked at him for a couple of seconds and burst out laughing. "My poor brother!" He walked over to him and gave him a hug. "Please don't make her so that again!" Kili said eyes wide in terror as he held on to his brother. "It was terrible!" Fili couldn't stop laughing! Ella smiled and placed herself next to George. "Well I hope you learned your lesson's." Ella said with a smile. George let out a giggle and placed his hand in over his mouth. "And what are you laughing at?" Ella asked George. "It wasn't real wine Ella," Ella's eyes widened in surprise "It was a joke!" George laughed rolling over the ground. "Oh you bastards!" Ella said shaking her head smiling and looked up at the brothers. "That was so not funny…" She let out a laughing sigh. "You damned right it wasn't funny!" Kili shouted. "Look what you did to my hair!" He whipped his braids out of his face. Fili patted him on the back and took a seat next to Ella who was lying on the floor laughing at Kili's reaction.

"How's your leg lassie?" She looked at Balin who just entered the room with Bilbo. He didn't look very happy. "It still hurts, but I got something against the pain and Aafke said that the pain would go away in a couple of days. Though the bruises might stay a week or maybe even longer. At least it's not broken." Ella said with a smile.

"Lady Ella." The Elf they first met said. Ella couldn't remember his name. Why couldn't they just have had easy names? "Lord Elrond wants to see you." Fili held Ella from standing up. "What does he want with her?" He growled. _Guess he's no fan of elves either. _"He wishes to speak with her." The dwarves stood up. "Alone." The elf added. Fili looked at Ella. "You don't have to." He said looking in her eyes. She could see that there was no way that Fili would leave her alone with some elf. Ella sighed. "I'll come with you if he can come to." "But lord Elrond wants to speak with you alone." The elf replied. "He can wait outside the door." The elf bowed. "Could you help me up?" Ella asked Fili. Fili did as she asked. "Please put him to bed." "Ella, will you stop worrying?" Dwalin said. "We'll take care of him." Ella nodded and together with Fili and the elf she walked towards lord Elrond.


	12. Don't Make Me Tell You

"Wait here." The elf ordered Fili.

Fili tightened his grip around Ella.

"Don't worry," Ella said with a smile. "I'll yell if there's anything."

Fili sighed and let her go into the room.

**XxX**

"Lady Ella!" Elrond said happy. "You may go Lyndir."

_So that was his name._

Lyndir bowed and closed the door behind him.

"Please," Elrond said, "have a seat."

Ella sat down and looked around. The room was very big. It had a creamy color and had huge windows. You could see beyond the forests and trees. Candles were lit everywhere.

Elrond smiled. "I hope that Aafke took good care of your leg."

Ella nodded. "What did you want to talk about?" she asked.

Even though it was a beautiful and peaceful room Ella wanted to go back to the dwarves, she wanted Fili by her side. She didn't feel safe without him. Elrond saw that Ella was uncomfortable and got to the point. He placed himself in front of her and started talking.

"I want to talk about you."

Ella raised a brow. She didn't understand.

"About how and why you and your brother came here."

"How do you know where I'm from?!" she said a bit pointed at the neon green stripe in her hair. "What? This?!" Ella pulled her hair. "I don't know how I got it."

"This, my dear," Elrond said calmly. "Is very rare. The color in your hair shows us that you are no creature of this world. It is told in myth and in legends that the one who caries a color as bright as yours is a creature from the earth. Also known as Earthlings. They are born from earth and not from a woman."

Ella stared at her hair."What? That just makes no sense… at all!" Ella shouted.

"My lady, if you would just listen to me." Elrond said, "Earthlings are rare creatures. Only seen by men in dreams and visions. No one has seen one before. It is said that Earthlings are creatures, or spirits; from another world and that they are called upon when a quest has been set out. Though there have been many quests, no man, elf, dwarf or other living beings has ever seen them. Earthling are the creatures that bring men luck, safety, protection and direction when they would need it the most, that is what the legends say."

Ella just looked at lord Elrond with her eyes wide is disbelief. "Again," she said, "That makes no sense!"

"My lady, I need you to tell me where you are from."

"No…!" Ella said. "Why give me one good reason why I should tell you."

"I could help you find a way home." Ella could tell that Elrond wasn't playing a game with her. "But you must tell me where you are from and how you got here."

Ella's throat thickened, she felt tears in her eyes when she thought of what happened.

"Ella I need you to tell me." Elrond moved closer and put her hand in his.

Ella shook her head and pulled her hand back. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. "I-I just can't." Ella stood up and ran towards the door, ignoring the pain in her leg.

Fili jumped up as Ella threw the door open. He could see her tears running down her face. As their eyes met Ella started crying and ran away.

"Ella?!" Fili yelled. He gave Elrond a dirty. "If this is your doing, then you'll have to deal with me!" He growled and ran after Ella.

"ELLA!"

Ella ignored the voice and kept running. She ran as far away as she could.

**XxX**

She ran though the hallways, over the fields, across the rocks and between the trees. Her leg was screaming at her.

_Stop! You're going to break! _Ella didn't listen and kept running. Her leg gave in and Ella fell to the ground. She placed her arms around a tree and more tears came running. She started to cry even louder.

Fili froze when he saw Ella collapse. "Ella?!" He sprinted towards her and dropped himself on his knees.

"NO!" She yelled, pushing Fili aside and started running again.

Fili stood up and ran after her. But this time he was faster and he tackled her. They rolled around on the ground until Fili sat on top of her. He pinned Ella's arms to the ground. Ella struggled, trying to get out of Fili's hold.

"Let me go!" She cried. "Please!"

"NO!" Fili yelled back. "Not until you tell me what in Durin's name is going on!"

Ella twisted and turned with all her strength but Fili wouldn't move.

"Please!" She cried again, tears still running down her face. "Please!"

"Ella stop!" Fili yelled. "You're going to hurt yourself!"

"Why should you care?!"

"BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT YOU!" Fili yelled. Ella stopped struggling. "There! Now you know!" Fili took a deep breath and loosened his grip on her but he still sat on top of her. He wouldn't let her slip away again. Both of them were breathing heavy. Fili let go of Ella's wrists and she quickly place her arms around his neck and she started crying again. Fili shifted his legs and placed Ella in his lap hugging her back.

"I'm so sorry!" Ella cried

"Ella would you please just tell me what is going on in that head of yours?" Fili asked concerned.

Ella was quiet.

"Ella please, talk to me."

It was quiet for a couple of more seconds.

"It's all my fault." Ella said through her tears. "It's all my fault."

"What is, Ella?" Fili pulled back and placed their foreheads together. "Ella, please. Please just tell…"

"The car crash!" Ella cried. "It's all my fault! I didn't look when the light turned green! I killed George!"

"Hey Ella, slow down." Fili said calm, wiping her tears away with his thumb. Ella looked him in the eyes.

"You wouldn't understand." She cried. "Please don't make me tell you."

"Ella, please." He sighed. "Try me." Fili said strong. He wanted to know. He was desperate to find out what was going on in her head.

"George was supposed to go to a pajamas party." She cried, "But our parents were to busy with themselves and they asked me to drop him off at Raphe's. He was so excited. How could I say no?" Her throat thickened. " We ran towards the car and George called shotgun." Ella let out a sad smile and tears filled her eyes again. "The light turned green but there was a car that past through red and he hit us with full speed, I felt the car flip and turn and then I saw a truck! He tried to stop but it was to heavy and he smashed into us!"

Ella hugged him again placing her head in his hair. Fili just held her for a moment.

"This isn't real." She cried. "It's a just a dream. I need to wake up!"

She stood up but Fili pulled her down. "Ella, stop it!" Fili said cross. "It's not a dream! You know better then that!"

"No I don't!" Ella yelled "Yes you do! Look at me... Ella! Look at me."Fili pushed her chin up. He looked deep in her eyes. "This is real! Your real, I'm real, the company is real and George is real! He's alive and well."

"No!" Ella shouted. "I need to wake up!"

"Ella enough!" Fili tightened his grip around Ella's wrist. "Can you feel this?"

Ella looked at her wrist as he tightened his grip even more.

"OW! Let me go! You're hurting me!" Ella shouted with tears in her eyes as she tried to scratch his hand away.

"Can you feel this?!" Fili growled.

"Yes! Please, stop!"

Fili let go. "You see Ella. It is not a dream!"

Ella let out a sigh and placed her head against his chest. "I'm just so scared Fili!" she cried softly. "I'm so scared. I can't lose him! I can't lose you." She said quietly and looked up.

Fili looked into her eyes. There was something about them he couldn't describe it.

"Please don't leave me." Ella said trying to stop her tears.

"I would never."

He slowly moved his head closer to hers. Slowly and as soft as he could, he placed their lips together.

Fili pulled back and hugged her tight. "I won't ever leave you." He whispered in her hair.

"You know that you have to explain to me what a car is, right?" He joked stroking her hair after a moment of silence.

Ella let out a little laugh through her tears.

"Come on. It's dark." Fili said . Ella didn't move and just held him tight.

_Not again. _Fili thought smiling. He placed his arm under her knees and one hand on her back and lifted her up. Ella still held on tight. Fili looked for the way back. He soon found the path where they had come from. Ella had calmed down and had fallen asleep. Fili felt relieved that Ella had told him her story even if he didn't understand half of it.

**XxX**

Fili walked through the long hallways and saw Aafke walking around.

"Aafke." He said softly.

Aafke turned her head towards the two dwarves. "Oh my!" She gasped; she could see that Ella had been crying. "Is she alright?"

"Yes, she is fine." Fili said. "She's asleep. Do you know where her bedroom is?"

"Yes," Aafke said. "Do you want me to show you?"

Fili shook his head. "Just point me in the right direction."

"It's to the left, up the stairs and then it's the third room on the right." She said.

"Thank you." Fili replied and bowed his head.

_Left, up the stairs, third room left, no right! _Fili repeated in his head.

Fili turned left, walked up the stairs and stopped in front of the third room to his right. He pushed open the door with his foot and place Ella on the bed. He removed her belt and slowly removed her boots. He moved the braids out of Ella's face and pulled a blanket over her shoulder. He let out a small sigh and kissed her forehead before returning to the others, if he could only find his way back.

**XxX**

The others were still singing, drinking and eating. Somehow they had gotten some meat and Bofur was roasting a sausage over the fire. George was still a wake. He was helping Kili with getting his braids out as Kili smoked his pipe.

"Bombur!" Bofur said and threw the sausage at the fat dwarf. Bombur grabbed it but the table, which Bombur was sitting on, couldn't hold his weight anymore and broke. Everybody was laughing and Bofur started rolling over the ground. Fili shook his head and walked towards George and his brother.

"Well look who's back." Bofur said. "Where's the lass?" He asked looking behind Fili.

"Ella?" Fili asked. "She's asleep in her room."

"What did the elf want to talk to her about?" Thorin asked.

"I don't know." Fili said. "I had to wait outside."

Fili could hear Thorin growl a little.

"Where did you go after dinner?" Fili asked his uncle. He walked past Kili and George and place himself next to Thorin.

Everybody's attention went to Thorin. "We showed Elrond the map." He said.

The dwarves started arguing. "What?" Dwalin said. "Why?"

"There were moon ruins of the map." Thorin said angry. "We have to wait three days until the right moon is upon us! Only then can he read them"

The dwarves didn't react well, they all started arguing and fighting.

"Well that can also be a good thing!" George said standing up so that everybody could see him.

Everybody turned their heads. Bifor said something in dwarfish.

"Bifor is right!" Oin said. "Why would it be a good thing?"

"It means that Elly could get sometime to heal her leg." George said.

"And we could all use some good nights sleep." Bilbo added. Some of the dwarves agreed. "He's right." Gloin said.

"It also means that we have time for training!" Thorin growled. "Tomorrow at midday. You to little one." He said to George.

George dropped himself next to Kili again.

"Don't worry George." Kili said and patted him on the back. "Think of it as school." He said with a smile.

George fell on his back. "But I don't want to go to school." He said childish.

"But you have to!" Kili insisted. "If you don't come then how will you learn to fight with your sword? And besides," Kili added. "I bet that there will be some pretty girls watching." Kili teased but Dwalin slapped him on the head.

"Don't listen to him. Come on lad." Dwalin said. "Time for bed."

"But I can't go to bed!" George said. "I have to help Kili with his hair."

"He's old enough to do that himself." Dwalin laughed and put George in his bedroll. "Besides," he said, "Your sister asked me to put you to bed, so I will."

"Are you afraid of my sister?" George asked the big dwarf with a smirk on his face.

"No." He said quickly. "I just like my head where it is."

George laughed one last time and fell asleep.


	13. Not One of Them

_Ella felt someone holding her hand. She slowly opened her eyes. _

_"Heey, sleepyhead." Ella saw that Dean was sitting beside her. _

_"Dean?! Where am I? What happened?" She said looking around. _

_S__he tried to sit up but Dean pushed her down slowly. _

_"Ella you have to lay down." Dean sighed laughing and looked at her. "You in a hospital in Nashville. You had a car accident." He looked concerned. "You have been out for quit a while. We had started to wonder when you were gonna wake up." _

_Ella gave him a confused look. "What are you talking about? Where's George?" _

_Dean looked at the ground. _

_"Dean, where's George?!" _

_"Ella, he… He…" _

_The door flew open and her dad and mum came running towards her. _

_"Dad?! Mum?!" They hugged her tight. "What are you guys doing her?! How did you get here?!" _

_"You were injured, sweetheart." Her mother said stroking her hair. "I took the first flight from Los Angels when I heard what had happened to you." _

_"We were so worried." Her father said. _

_"Where is Sandra?" Ella asked. "Is she with George?" _

_"Ella." Her father said said soft. "George, he-he's…" His eyes filled with tears. _

_Her mother took her hand. "I'm sorry, sweetie." She said. "George didn't make it out of the crash."_

_Ella's face turned white. "What?! No! No! You're lying! You're lying!" She shifted in her bed. "YOU'RE LYING!" She yelled. "He was with me last night!" _

_"Ella, calm down!" Dean said. "What are you talking about? You have been in a coma for nearly 3 weeks!" _

_"What? No!" Ella cried. "He was with me!" _

_"Ella, it was just a dream." Her mother said. "You have been dreaming. I was just a dream." _

_"No it wasn't!" she yelled back. "George! GEORGE!" _

_She pulled off the wires on her chest and ripped out the wire in her nose. _

_"Ella don't!" Her father yelled at her. "I can't lose you too!" _

_"GEORGE!" Her parents held her down. She couldn't get out of bed. _

_"Dean go and get a doctor!" Her father yelled to Dean. _

_"Let me go!" Ella screamed. "I have to find George!" _

_She got her arms loose and she pushed her parents over. She ran out the room and ran down the corridor. _

_"Ella! Come back!" Her mother yelled. _

_"ELLA!" her father shouted. Ella turned around and saw her father running after them. She turned around again and stopped. _

_She was back in her car, hanging upside down. George was hanging next to her. "GEORGE?!" she yelled and she felt the truck crash into them._

Ella gasped. Someone was shaking her. Thorin was holding her arms.

"Ella! Wake up!" He shouted and let out a relieving sigh when he saw that she opened her eyes. Ella held him by the collar. "Ella, are you alright?!"

Ella started crying and pushed herself into his chest. "He's gone," She cried. "And he's never coming back!"

"Who is, Ella?" Thorin asked.

"GEORGE!" She yelled. "It's all my fault!"

"Ella, what are you talking about?" Thorin said calm. "George is outside with the others. I heard you screaming and I tried to wake you up but you didn't."

"What?!" Ella said with eyes wide.

"George is alright." He said loosening his grip on her.

"Where is he?!" Ella said standing up and running to the door.

"He's outside. Ella where are you going?" He stood up and walked after her.

"I'm going to get George!" She shouted half running, half jumping through the hallway.

Thorin shook his head. "Outside is this way!" He pointed in the opposite direction of Ella. Ella turned around and ran past Thorin.

"Ella, hold on!" He yelled and ran after her. He had to give it to her; even though she was injured she was a fast runner. Thorin could barely keep up.

Ella jumped down the stairs and saw George sitting on the grass

"_King me"_.

"GEORGE!" she yelled. George looked up and saw his sister. Ella ran as fast as she could towards her little brother. She grabbed him in her arms and fell to the ground rolling around.

She couldn't stop kissing her little brother all over his face.

"Ella!" George giggled trying to push his sister off. "Let me go!"

The dwarves just look at poor George and Ella.

"Ella," Bofur said. "Stop smothering the poor boy with you kisses. You're gonna kill him with love!"

Ella did as she was told and held her baby brother as tight as she could.

"Elly, I can't breathe!"

Ella didn't didn't want to let him go. "I thought I lost you!" she sighed.

"You didn't" George said with a smile pushing himself away a bit. "I'm right here!"

"I can see that." Ella said sarcastic placing George on her lap still hugging him. "What are we doing?" She said looking at the other dwarves who all had a smile on there face.

"I'm teaching Kili how to play checkers!" He said with a smile.

Ella raised a brow at the dark dwarf. "Okay…" _That is weird._

"Does anybody know what time it is?" Ella asked into the blue.

"It's time for training!" Thorin said loud as he approached.

The dwarves grunted and followed Thorin out to the middle of the field. "You too Ella!"

"What?! I'm injured I can't-"

"If you can run from your room and all the way out here, then you are well enough to train. " He said turning his face at her. "Now go and get changed and get your sword!"

"Yes father." Ella said a bit mockingly and bowed.

"Now where is my room?" Ella said to herself. Ella just started walking and hoped that she would find her room. "Why does this place have to be so freakin' big?" Ella walked through tens of hallways and ran up and down so many stairs that she lost count.

After walking for about she bumped into Aafke. "Oh hey!" Ella said.

"Are you alright My Lady?" Aafke asked as she helped Ella up.

"Yeah I'm fine but please just call me Ella." Ella said with a smile. "Do you maybe know the way to my room? I'm just lost. I can't find it." Ella said with an awkward smile.

Aafke let out a giggle. "It's that way." Aafke pointed. "Here, follow me."

"How is your leg?" Aafke asked as they walked.

"Well if I don't think about it, it doesn't really hurt." Ella looked down. "I think I got used to the pain after what happened yesterday." Ella said smiling, remembering what happened.

"Yes, well running from Orcs does that." Aafke said.

"Orcs?" Ella asked. "What Orcs? Oh, right." Ella said quickly. She didn't mean that part but no one had to know what happened between Fili and her. Did they?

"Here we are." Aafke said opening the door as they walked in. "Would you maybe like me to prepare a bath for you?"

"Oh… Um. Well maybe a bath for after training. Thorin is going to kill me when I get back. I'm already late."Ella said loosening her dress walking towards the closet.

"Have you seen my shirt?" She asked Aafke. Aafke let out a small giggle as she saw the small dwarf rushing herself.

"It's in the bottom drawer."

Ella opened the closet. "Oh my God!" Ella gasped. The closet was filled with different dresses in different colors. Blue, black, green, yellow, orange, white, purple, pink, red and colors in between. "You know that I'm only staying for a couple of days, right?" Ella asked Aafke as she pulled her red tunic and a pair of pants from the drawer.

"I'm sorry, what?" Aafke said as Ella stepped behind the screen. "Lord Elrond told me that you were at least staying for a couple of weeks, until you found a way home."

Ella stuck her head out. "What are you talking about? I'm not going home." Ella said. "I have can't just leave the company!" Ella said dramatically, pulling her red shirt over her head.

"But I was told that you would join the dwarves until Thorin found somebody else to take care of you." Ella stepped from behind the screen.

"What?!" Ella shouted. "That's bullshit! Thorin would never do that to me!"

Aafke raised her hands. "I only know what I'm told."

Ella placed her sword and dagger around her waist. "Who told you this?!"

"Lord Elrond." Aafke replied.

Ella grabbed her ax, which was lying beside her bed and stomped out the door. "Where can I find Elrond?!"

"Walk down the stairs, take the first hallway right and then it's the fifth room on you left."

Ella stomped her way to the elves 'office'. She was totally fed up with everything. She didn't believe that Thorin would do something like this to her. Ella kicked the door open.

"Ah, lady Ella." Elrond said.

"I'm not staying! If you even think that you can just keep me here," Ella shouted waving her ax, "Then your wrong!"

"I am only doing what the King under the mountain asked me." Elrond replied calmly. "He asked us if you could stay."

"What?! Thorin wouldn't do that! I'm part of the company and so is George! You said it yourself yesterday. I'm the one that has to help them, they can't just leave me here!"

"I am only doing what I am asked." Elrond said.

Ella turned around and headed outside.

Thorin sat up against a tree as he watched his men train. Fili saw her approaching and he gave her a smile. Ella didn't even look over to him and the smile on Fili's face quickly faded. He could see that she was angry. All the dwarves stopped as they saw Ella stomping her way towards Thorin. Ella threw her ax at his head but missed by an inch. Thorin jumped up and looked at Ella.

"What was that for?!" He growled.

"We need to talk!" she growled back.

She pulled her ax out of the tree; grabbed Thorin by his am and dragged him towards the forest. "You follow and I'll put my ax in you scull! Is that clear?!" she shouted to the dwarves. They nodded as they saw Ella and Thorin disappear in the forest.

"Let me go!" Thorin commanded.

Ella let go and faced Thorin. "Did you really think that you could just leave me here?! Did you really think that I wouldn't find out?!" Ella snapped at the king. Thorin had no words. "You didn't even ask me if I wanted to stay! Do you really think that I want to stay here?! Why do you want me to stay?! What have I done wrong?! Tell me! What did I do wrong?!" Ella was furious. How could he do this to her?

Thorin still kept his mouth. Ella let out a scream in frustration.

"If you think that I'm staying then your wrong! I'm not going anywhere and neither is George!" Ella yelled and left.

She was breathing heavy. She could pull her hair out. Ella walked out the forest and stomped past the dwarves. George and Kili stopped practicing as she stomped by.

"Ella, are you alright lass?" Balin asked.

Ella ignored him and just stomped her way back to her room.

Ella shut her door with a big bang and she threw herself on her bed. She screamed into a pillow and sat up. She jumped of her bed and walked to her makeup table or what every you want to call it. She looked at herself in the mirror.

There she was, a nineteen-year-old girl from Franklin, Tennessee, stuck in a world that was not her own. She looked herself up and down. Ella took of her belt and threw it against the wall with anger. With tears in her eyes she started pulling out her braids. What had she been thinking? She would never become one of them. She could never be with Fili no matter how much she wanted to. She could never be a dwarf!

**XxX**

Ella sat against the wall combing her hair.

There was a knock on the door. "Go away!" she shouted sniffing.

The knock came again.

"I said; go away!"

"Ella let me in." she recognized on the other side.

"I knew that Oin was deaf but I didn't know that you were too!" She shouted. "Go away Fili!"

She heard him placing himself against the door. Ella stood up and opened the door.

"I said go away!"

"Give me one good reason." Fili said.

Ella slammed the door in his face. He knocked again.

"Why can't you just listen to me for once?!" she said walking towards the door. She opened it slightly but Fili pushed himself in and shutting the door behind him.

"What do you want from me?!" Ella snapped.

"I want you to tell me what is going on!" He hissed back.

"It's none of your business!"

"Yes it is! If it involves you then it involves me!" Fili growled.

Ella walked to the other side of the room.

"I care about you Ella! I want to be with you but -"

"We can't" Ella shouted.

Something in Fili broke.

"I'm not a dwarf! I'm not like you! I'm not like any of you! I'm not from this world Fili!"

"I don't care where you're from!" Fili said. Ella looked up. "I don't care! I wouldn't care if you were forged in the heat of Mount Doom or if you were raised in Mirkwood! I don't care if you have short hair or long hair! I don't care that you have a beard or not!"

Ella smiled a little. Fili took a deep breath and calmed down. "All I care about is that you are safe and that…" He stepped closer to Ella. "… You're with me."

Ella left out a loud sigh and dropped herself on the bed. Fili placed himself on the other side of her bed. He crossed his legs and just looked at her.

"What am I doing wrong?" Ella asked after a moment of silence. "I tried, I really did."

"I know." Fili said quietly.

"Then why does Thorin want me to stay here? Why does he hate me so much? I have exactly the same rights as you and I don't see him dropping you off somewhere!"

"He doesn't hate you. He just wants you to be safe, just like the rest of us." Fili answered. He scooted over next to her.

"But what if I don't want to be safe?"

"Then you, my love…" Fili said grabbing her hand. "Then you have a problem because you have thirteen dwarves, a hobbit and a wizard who don't want to see you harmed and then of course you have George too."

Ella sat up and crawled up next to Fili. He placed his arm around her side and Ella put her head on his shoulder.

"I don't want to stay here. I don't want you to leave me."

"I won't leave you, Ella. I promise." Fili said. "Here I have something for you."

Fili pulled a bead out of his hair. "I want you to have it."

Ella sat up straight. "No… Fili I can't take it. I don't deserve it."

"Yes you do." Fili looked deep into her eyes.

"I-I-I don't know what to say." Ella stared at the small bead. It had beautiful engravings.

"It was my first bead." Fili said. "My mother always told me to hold on to it. And when the time was right I would give it to the right person. You are that person Ella."

Ella didn't know what to say.

"So if you would allow me, I would like to braid it into your hair." Ella quickly turned around and Fili started braiding.

"So it means that I'm yours then?" Ella asked blushing.

"It does. It also means that other dwarves can't touch you." Fili said when he was done with Ella hair.

"You know that you just got you hands full, right?" She said and stood up looking into the mirror.

"It's beautiful Fili!" Ella said with tears in her eyes. "Oh look at me." Ella said "Now I'm crying again. I'm an emotional wreck."

Fili stepped next to her with a smile. They looked at each other in mirror. "I won't let anything hurt you or George. I promise."

Ella gave Fili a hug and smiled. She was happy. Now she was really happy.

Another knock came from the door. Ella tilted her head back. "Why can't a woman just be left alone for a while?" Ella sighed.

Fili let out a small laugh and his uncle entered.

"Am I interrupting something?" He raised a brow at Fili.

"Not at all." Fili said looking at Ella.

"I need to talk with Ella." Thorin said. Fili nodded and kisses Ella's head. "Don't kill him." He said softly.

"I'll take this with me just in case." Fili grabbed her ax and walked away closing the door behind him.


	14. Dont Mess with a Woman

"Go away Thorin." Ella said. She wasn't in the mood. "Just leave me alone."

"Ella, I came to apologize." Thorin said.

Ella couldn't believe what she was hearing. Thorin opened the door. "Why do you hate me so much?" Ella asked soft and Thorin closed the door.

"I do not hate you." He answered. "I just don't want you to bring yourself into danger."

"And you just thought that leaving me here with elves was safe?!"

"I did not want to come here!" Thorin growled. "The wizard gave me no choice!"

"Just like you aren't giving me one?!"

Thorin grew quiet. "You are right." He said calm.

"You're right?! Is that all?! Your just trying to dump me here and all you can say's You're right?!" Ella shouted. "What kind of king are says that?! You're not a king! You might think that you are but you're not! You don't even have a kingdom or a mountain or anything! You're no different than me! You're just like everybody else! You aren't a King, you're nothing but a selfish and arrogant jerk!" Ella covered her mouth. She regretted her words and she wish that she could take them back. "I'm sorry!" She gasped. Ella backed up a couple of steps and dropped to her knees.

"No," Thorin said walking towards her and bend on knees. "I am the one who should say sorry. You are right I have been treating you without the respect that you deserve and I haven't been acting like a king either."

"No, I was wrong." Ella said looking at him. "I didn't mean it."

"Really?" Thorin raised a brow.

"Okay, maybe just a little." Ella said giving Thorin a little smile.

"Can you forgive me?" Thorin asked.

"If you'll take me with you then I'll think about it." Ella said with a smile.

"Very well, then." Thorin stood up and helped Ella up. "Grab your sword. You'll need to know how to use it if you are to come with us."

"Really?!" Ella asked excited. "You're gonna let me come with then?"

"Yes." Thorin sighed. "But don't raise you voice at me again in front of my men."

Ella nodded and wrapped her arm around Thorin's neck. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Thorin didn't know what to do and just patted her back.

"Ella." Thorin said awkwardly. "You can let go now."

Ella took a step back. "Oh, right." She straightened her tunic and pulled her hair right.

Thorin looked at a small bead on of Ella's braids. "Now I see why you want to stay." He said with a smile.

"What?" Ella looked at Thorin as he took the braid in his hand. Ella blushed a little.

"You can't turn back anymore." Thorin said.

"I'm not planning too." Ella said with a strong voice.

"Alright then. Grab your weapon. You are going to need all the training you can get."

Ella quickly grabbed her sword and Thorin handed her, her staff and together they walked towards the others.

**XxX**

"Alright!" Thorin shouted as they approached the others. "We have wasted enough time!" Everybody sighed and stood up. "Kili you get George. Fili you take Ella. She will battle me in an hour!"

"What?!" Ella shouted.

"You have proven that you do not fear me. So be ready in an hour."

Ella turned to Fili. "He is unbelievable!" She sighed.

Fili rolled his eyes and they started fighting.

**XxX**

"Up!" Fili yelled. "Stab! Turn around! Shield! Down!" A loud cling sounded as their swords hit each other. "Very good. Now again."

Ella dropped into the grass. "Can we please take a break?"

"No."

"But…"

"No buts. I don't want to hear it." Fili said reaching her a hand. "You don't get breaks in battle."

Ella sighed. "Since when did your name become Thorin Oakenshield?"

"Don't be such a princess."

Ella jumped up and swung her sword but Fili blocked it. "Don't call me princess." She said with a smile.

"Then don't lay down. Again." Fili said with a smile and they started again.

"ELLA!" Thorin yelled. "Time's up!"

Fili and Ella stopped. Ella moved a step closer to Fili.

"Come ON!"

"I won't let him hurt you." Fili said softly in her ears. "You can do it. Just remember what I taught you." Fili patted her shoulder and she walked towards Thorin.

The dwarves and the hobbit gathered to watch the show. Ella was nervous. See have Fili one more look.

"Just remember your feet." Fili yelled.

"You can do it, Elly!" George shouted, he was sitting next to Kili. "I believe in you!"

Ella closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Thorin started circling Ella. Thorin swung his sword first but Ella blocked it in time.

"Very good." He said and swung his sword again. Thorin was strong and Ella could barely hold him.

_Block, duck! Swing, stab, and turn around! _She thought to herself.

They were five minutes into the 'battle' when Thorin suddenly swung his sword at her head and had caught one of her braids.

"You shouldn't have done that, uncle!" Kili shouted smiling. Ella swung her sword so hard that Thorin almost fell to the ground.

"The lass can fight." Dwalin admitted to Fili.

Ella pushed her braids out of face.

"Come on, Thorin!" The dwarves yelled.

"Is that the best you can do, Uncle?! You don't want to lose against a girl do you?!" Kili shouted joking.

"Kili!" Ella yelled still fighting with Thorin. "Don't encourage him!"

Thorin gave Ella a hard blow. Ella scream and jumped backwards. He hit her again but this time Ella fell backwards landing on her back. She didn't move. Thorin let out a small chuckle but it disappeared as fast as it came. Ella didn't move. The dwarves quickly ran towards her. They stood in a circle around her, Thorin at her feet.

"Oin," Fili said. "Is she going to be all-" Fili was cut off as Ella quickly placed her legs around Thorin's waist and lifting herself up causing Thorin to fall to the ground. Ella sat on top of him, dagger at his throat. She was breathing heavy for she was out of breath. The dwarves looked at Ella in shock. Non of them had ever been able to ground Thorin and here Ella sat on top of him. Fili couldn't help but to be proud of her, he gave her a big smile and Ella let out a laugh. She removed her dagger from Thorin's throat and stood up. She reached out her hand toward the fallen king.

"Didn't your father ever teach you to not to mess with a woman?" He gave her a little smile and took her hand.

"You fight well." Thorin admitted. "I'm sorry I doubted you."

"Don't worry about it." Ella said smiling. "I'm just glad that I still have the rest of my braids." She took a handful of them in her hand.

"Ooh… What does my eyes see?" Bofur said smiling.

"What?" Ella asked raising her shoulders quickly. He grabbed her braid with Fili's bead and pulled it a bit to hard. "OW!"

"Oh sorry lass." Bofur said looking closely at the bead. "Who's the lucky lad?".

Fili looked at the ground.

"Oh no you did not!" Kili said smirking at his brother. "Found him!" Kili laughed raising Fili's hand.

Fili stepped closer to Ella. "Congratulations, my boy!" Balin said patting him on the back. "We were starting to wonder."

Ella and Fili smiled at each other. Ella grabbed Fili's arm pulling him close. Ella turned red and smiled. Fili stood there as proud as a horse.

"Well this causes a celebration!" Kili yelled.

"You mean party!" George laughed excited.

"Agreed!" Gloin said.

Thorin gave the new couple a smile. "Bombur, Bofur, you take care of the food." He said. Ella eyes widened. She didn't expect Thorin to go in on it. She gave Fili a worried look. He just smiled and let it come over him. "I'll go see if we can get a room. The rest of you help decorate. And George, you get your sister dressed."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Ella laughed. Nobody answered.

"Come on Elly!" George said jumping taking her hand. "We got a lot of work to do!"

"Don't worry." Fili said softly in her ear before George took her hand and dragged her away. While getting dragged away she heard cheers and laughter. She looked back and that Fili was being patting on the back and hugged by Kili.

_Just for once it's gonna be a fun night. _She thought.

**XxX**

"Okay now let's see what we've got?" George said to himself throwing the closet doors open. He threw everything he could find on the bed.

"George would you-" He threw a dress at her face. "-Calm down?"

"_No. No." _He mumbled to himself holding up the dresses one by one. "Aha!" He held up a long white dress.

"George. No." Ella said with a smile shaking her head. "I'm not wearing that. It looks like a wedding dress."

"What is going on?" Aafke walked in with a smile.

"I'm trying to find a dress for Ella."

"Aafke, this is my little brother George." Ella said.

"Nice to meet you, young master." Aafke said with a smile. "What is going on?"

"He's trying to find me a dress." Ella said rolling her eyes.

"I need something special." George said to Aafke. "It's for the party!"

"What party?" Aafke asked.

"You elves don't know much do you?" George joked.

"George!" Ella shouted.

"I didn't mean it." He said quickly. George turned his face towards Aafke again. "We are holding a party for Fili and Ella!" he said excited.

Aafke's face was filled with questions. Ella held up her braid. Hoping that she would get it. Aafke's eyes widened in joy and she had a smile on her face, from ear to ear. "Well I must congratulate you, my lady. I mean Ella." She said quickly and gave Ella a hug. "I must say that that it didn't come much as a surprise."

"What?" Ella asked.

"Come on!" Aafke said laughing. "It was there for all to see."

Ella blushed a little.

"But you are right, master George. We do need something special and I've got the perfect dress."

**XxX**

"Fili I need to speak with you." Fili turned around and saw his uncle.

"Of course." He answered and gave Kili a pat on the back. The room that Elrond had given them was a huge dining room. Fili quickly walked after his uncle. "What do you wish to speak about?" Fili asked once they were out of the room.

"I want to talk about you and the girl." Thorin said with a smile as they walked through the hallways.

"What is it?" Fili asked concerned. "Do you not approve?" There was nothing more to Fili then Thorin's approval.

"Do not worry, Fili." Thorin said putting his hand on his nephew's shoulder. "You have my blessings." He said with a smile. Fili let out a sigh in relief.

"Then what is it?"

"I am concerned about the girl." Thorin stopped. "We do not know where she is from but Lord Elrond told me that she is no ordinary she-dwarf." Thorin explained the whole Earthling-thing.

"Does she know?" Fili asked and Thorin nodded. "That is probably what Elrond wanted to talk about last night. That's why she was so upset."

"Fili we do not know what will happen to her and the boy when we have reclaimed Erebor."

"I know." Fili said looking down. "But I will take every moment with her that I can get." He said strong.

Thorin gave him a smile. "Very well," He said as they walked back but Thorin pulled Fili to a halt in front of the door. "Just make sure that she doesn't get pregnant while we are on this quest."

"Who do you think I am, Kili?"

Thorin let out a little laugh and together they walked into the room.

**XxX**

"Do you need any help, Ella?" George questioned.

"No… I … Almost… Got… It…!"

A knock on the door. Ella sighed in frustration when she couldn't close her dress. The person knocked again. "Will you please get that?" Ella asked her little brother. George let out a giggle as she heard Ella's voice. He opened the door and Kili stormed in.

"Hello little brother." Kili said ruffling his hair. "How is our princess doing? Were almost done."

"I'm not a princess!" Ella shouted from behind the screen.

"We can't find the right dress." George said. Ella took a step away from the screen. She wore a yellow dress. Kili put his hand in front of his mouth, trying not to laugh.

"I don't like it!" Ella growled. "I can't even close it!"

"Here, try this one." George said handing Ella another dress but Kili quickly pulled it out of his hands.

"No she can't wear this one!" Kili said. "She should wear this one!" He handed her a pink dress.

"No," George said grabbing the dress out of his hands. "Ella doesn't like pink, so she can wear this."

"Well then how about this one? Or this one?" Kili held up different dresses.

"How about this one?" Aafke said walking into the room. She held up a long dark green dress. It was sleeveless and had green pebbles around the collar and around the bottom and a green ribbon around the waist.

"Yes!" Kili said. "That's the dress!"

"What?" Ella said towards the dwarf. "I can't wear that! It's to.. It's to…"

"Perfect!" Kili said and quickly handed Ella the dress. "Come on hurry now. Dinner is almost ready." He pushed her behind the screen. "Now put it on!"

"I know that you are Thorin's nephew but don't shout at me. Your uncle will do that for you!"

"Then hurry up!"

"I will! I will!" Ella laughed.

**XxX**

"Can we open our eyes now?" George asked impatient.

"Just one more second, young master." Aafke said lacing Ella up.

"Okay, you can look now." Ella said.

George and Kili opened their eyes. "Wow!" They both gasped.

"How do I look?" Ella asked.

"You look beautiful Ella." George said.

"I wish I was my brother." Kili said with a smirk.

"In your dreams!" Ella replied.

"Alright… We must hurry the others are waiting for us!" Kili said pulling Ella's arm.

Aafke stayed behind.

"Aafke don't just stand there!" George said grabbing her arm. "Come on!"

**XxX**

The four of them ran towards the dining room. Ella had to hold up her dress so she wouldn't trip over it.

"Wait here." Kili said and opened the door.

Ella put her head in her hands. "Why does he do this to me?" Ella asked into her hands. Aafke laughed at the dwarf, she could see that Ella wasn't used to this kind of attention.

"_Gentlemen!" _Kili started. "_May I have your attention, please?"_ He asked looking down to the dwarves.

_No Kili. Don't do this to me! _

George opened the door a bit and sneaked in.

"_May I introduce you to lady Ella." _Kili said with a smile and opened to door Ella walked in. Everybody's eyes widened.

"Oh come on guys." Ella said. "Don't look at me like that!" She walked towards Fili but hit 'by accident' Kili's hip and he almost tripped over.


	15. The Challenge

They were drinking and having fun. It was a great party everybody was having a great time.

"Here ya go George." Kili said handing him a big mug of wine.

"Kili?" Ella questioned. "Do you really want me to braid you hair again?"

"It's a party." Kili defended. "Just let him have some. He's old enough!"

"No way." Ella took the mug from George and placed it out of his reach.

"But Ella, I…"

"No but's!"

"But… But…"

"George? What did I just tell you?" Ella turned her back to Fili and looked at George.

She didn't see Fili pushing George's mug a little further.

"Unbelievable." Ella turned back to her food again.

She saw that George reached for his mug in the corner of her eye. She pushed it away a bit, not looking up. George frowned and reached again but this time Ella pushed it out of his reach again, still not looking up. Fili handed George another mug behind Ella's back and smiled.

"Don't let your sister see." He whispered.

"What?!" Ella said looking down at George who was drinking from a mug. "How did you…?"

She looked up at Kili. Kili quickly lifted his hands in surrender. "It wasn't me!"

Ella turned her head to Fili. He gave her a quick smile and drank from his ale.

"You are unbelievable."

"I know." Fili said putting him mug down. "But let him have some. I agree with Kili. He's old enough."

"He's six!" Ella said raising her mug of wine to her lips.

"I see you two have a whole lot to discus when it comes to raising children."

Ella choked on her drink. Oin slapped Gloin in the head. Ella looked at Fili. He cracked a smile at her before he drank of his ale in silence.

"Maybe we should just finish the quest first." Ella said with an awkward smile and she quickly started eating again. Fili gave her an agreeing nod and the dwarves couldn't help themselves and started laughing.

**XxX**

"Well, I think it's time for some music!" Bofur said after he was done eating.

He pulled out his flute and started playing a merry tune. Some of the others started singing and dancing. Ella was pulled off of her chair by Kili and they started dancing. Together they twisted and turned and she suddenly held by Nori. Ella had danced with every dwarf and she had the time of her life, she had even danced with Thorin and she had to admit he wasn't all that bad.

"Fili!" Kili yelled. "Come on!" He waved Fili to the dance floor but Fili didn't move.

Ella laughed and ran up to Fili. "What's the matter?"

"I am not the best dancer."

Ella giggled and pulled his arm. "I don't care. It's not like I know how to dance either. Will you just dance with me? Please…" She said with her biggest and cutest puppy eyes.

Fili sighed and looked at her eyes almost melting. "Alright but don't look at me like that again." He said with a smiled. Fili placed on hand on her hip and they were off. Everybody stood in a circle clapping their hands and stomping their feet as they looked and smiled at the new couple.

"Lady Ella." Lyndir was standing at the door.

The music stopped.

"Lord Elrond and Mithrandir would like to speak to you."

Ella pressed her head against Fili and sighed. "What do they want this time?" She sighed.

Fili chuckled.

"They can't just leave me alone for one night?" Ella asked the Elf looking up.

"I'm afraid not." He said with a smile. Ella rolled her eyes. "They want to meet you in your room in five minutes." With that he closed the door and walked away.

Ella looked up at Fili and then to the rest. Fili loosened his grip but Ella still held on to his hand.

"I already told them that we weren't staying. Maybe I wasn't clear enough?"

"Trust me, lass." Balin answered. "I believe that you were." He gave her a smile.

"But then what do they want?" George asked.

"Guess I'm gonna find out." She walked out the room but the rest followed her. "Do you guys really have to do that?" She turned to the dwarves.

"We just want to make sure that you're…" Dwalin was cut off.

"I'll yell if there's anything." She said looking at Fili. He gave her a little worried smile. "I will. I promise! Oh and would you…"

"Watch after George?" Kili said with a smirk on his face.

"Yes please." Ella replied.

"We will, Ella. Would you just hurry back? I don't want to end tied up again." Fili gave her a quick kiss and Ella walked away.

**xXx**

"Ah, My Lady." Gandalf said as they walked in.

"Gandalf." She calmly replied. "What is it?" Ella growled a little soft.

"We wanted to talk to you about the quest." Elrond said.

"I thought that I made it very clear that I was going with them!" She hissed.

"Yes you did." Elrond said. "But you didn't say anything about the young master."

Ella eyes grew wide when she figured out what they were trying to do. "No, no way! There is no way in hell that I'm leaving him here!"

"Ella calm down." Gandalf said. "He is young and venerable. Maybe it would be best for him to stay here."

"NO!" Ella yelled. "He's staying with me and that's final!" Ella turned and walked out of the room slamming the door behind her.

"I can't believe that they are even talking to me about this!" She mumbled to herself as she walked away. _I need some air. _"Yes, that's exactly what I need."

**XxX**

Ella walked in the garden for about an hour, thinking about what Gandalf had said.

"You can't just leave him, Ella." She said to herself. "But he could die if he came with." Ella looked up at the stars. She left out a frustration sigh. "What am I suppose to do?" she rubbed her eyes.

"My lady?" Ella jumped and saw Gandalf standing behind her.

"Gandalf." She said. "Can't give a woman time to think?" Ella gave him a small smile.

"I am sorry." He said. "But I have a suggestion." Ella moved to a bench close by and sat down.

"Shoot."

Gandalf frowned.

"I-I mean talk."

Gandalf placed himself next to her. "My suggestion is;" Gandalf said. "To let George stay here…" Ella wanted to say something but was cut off as Gandalf continued. "Until I will join you again on your journey."

Ella looked confused. "What?"

"Lord Elrond will be able to read the moon runes tomorrow night and I believe that Thorin would want to leave as fast as possible when he has the answers that he needs."

"So what you're suggesting is?" Ella asked wanting him to get to the point.

"Let George stay with me while I buy you some time."

Ella raised a brow still not understanding.

"The elves do not think that this quest wise and they will try to stop you."

"So what you're saying is; to let George stay here with you, while you buy us some time so that we can leave."

"Yes." Gandalf said nodding his head. "Thorin would not want to be slowed down." Ella let out a sigh. She knew that the wizard was right.

"I don't want to make this choice for him." Ella said after a while thinking.

"I understand." Gandalf said. "Tell master George that if he wishes to join me that he may sleep in my room tomorrow night. If he does not wish to join me he may sleep in you room."

Ella sighed and nodded.

"Now, you should return to your party. You wouldn't want to keep your young dwarf-prince waiting." He said with a smile.

"How did you…? Oh, never mind." She said waving her hand. "Would you like to join us?" Ella asked with a smile.

"I would love to." Gandalf said with a soft smile and together they walked back towards the others.

**XxX**

"_Give him another one!" _A dwarf shouted. It sounded like Bofur.

Ella pushed the door open. "What in Durin's name is going on here?!" Ella turned her head. Durin? Did she really just say Durin? This place must be getting to her. She could see Kili and George holding a drinking contest.

Everybody turned.

"Ella it's not as it looks." Ori quickly defended.

"Well dear Ori would you care to explain it to me?" Ella asked sarcastic. "Didn't think so."

"Come on Ella." Kili said a bit drunk. "We're just having a bit of fun."

"Kili." Ella said. "Shut up!"

"Don't worry lass." Dwalin said. "We've got everything under control."

"Why don't I believe you?" She asked.

"Why don't you try it?" Bofur asked. "Ella against Fili."

"What?! No!"

"Oh, come on Ella." Fili said a bit teasingly. "Afraid you're going to lose?"

"Are you challenging me, Fili?" Ella said a bit playfully. "I don't think that's wise of you, my love."

"Alright then!" Bofur yelled pulling Ella closer. "These are the rules; whoever empties their mug of ale first, wins!"

"It's that easy?" Ella asked.

"It's that easy." Bofur replied with a smile.

"What's the catch?" Ella asked.

"10 golden coins." Balin replied.

"Fair enough."

"But if you lose or choose not to accept the challenge then we completely understand." Thorin teased. "After all you're, just a woman."

Wrong words.

"Give me a mug!" Ella yelled and Dori quickly handed her one.

"Remember, whoever empties it first." Bofur said again.

"Get ready!" Nori yelled. "Set… Go!"

Fili chugged his beer down. Ella let out a laugh and turned her cup upside down. Once it was empty she turned it around and place it on the table.

"Done!" Everybody looked up. Even Fili was surprised.

"Hey you can't do that!" Kili yelled. "We said-"

"You said; whoever empties the cup first." Ella cut off. "Nobody said anything about drinking it."

George cheered and hugged his sister. "Again, never mess with a woman and never challenge me." Ella said proud.

"Ella always wins." George said with an evil smile looking at Kili.

"Alright everyone." Gandalf said. "Let's go outside."

"You should watch you back." Dwalin said patting Fili on the shoulder. "She's a smart one."

**XxX**

"Everybody's favorite color?" Kili asked. "George?"

"Blue!" George shouted without thinking.

"Green." Bofur said.

"I like blue too." Bombur said. Bifor said something in dwarfish, which no one understood.

"Red." Nori said. "Yellow." Ori said.

"Purple." Dori said.

"Grey." Gandalf said.

"Gold." Thorin said.

_Who would ever have thought of that? _Ella thought to herself.

"Dark blue." Oin said.

"Aye, I agree with my brother." Gloin said.

"Spring green." Balin said.

"Black." Dwalin said.

"I like green." Fili said.

"Me too." Kili said. "What about you, Ella?"

She had to think for a while. "Dark magenta but only if it's more purple. I don't really like pink."

"Okay! My turn!" George shouted jumping on Ella's lap.

"What do you miss most about your home?" George asked. He loved to ask questions but nobody wanted to answer that. "I miss my mommy the most." He said soft.

It was quiet for a while but Ella decided to break the silence.

"M&M's." She said everybody looked up. "What?" Ella asked as she saw the dwarves look up.

"What is M&M's?" Fili asked.

"Oh right I keep forgetting." Ella shook her head. "M&M's are like. Um… It's chocolate but it has a crunchy layer on the outside. It comes in different colors. Blue, green, yellow, brown, red and orange." Everybody still looked up in confusion. "Never mind." She said with a smile shaking her head. "Next question."

"Would you sing us song, Ella?" Ori asked

"Yes Ella, pretty please?" Bofur asked.

Bifor said something in dwarfish. Maybe Ella should take some lessons in that.

"You have such a lovely voice." Bofur continued. Everybody agreed on that.

"Alright." Ella said looking at Fili. "What do you guys what to hear?"

"Sing something about an adventure!" George yelled.

"Or about a mountain!" Gloin shouted.

"Or something about a woman!" Kili said. Thorin hit him in the head.

"Sing another lullaby." Fili said soft. The others agreed to that.

"Alright then. Just let me think for a second." Ella put her arms around George and scooted closer to Fili and started singing.

_"It started out as a feeling_

_Which then grew into a hope_

_Which then turned into a quiet thought_

_Which then turned into a quiet word_

_And then that word grew louder and louder_

_'Til it was a battle cry_

_I'll come back_

_When you call me_

_No need to say goodbye"_

Again everybody had fallen asleep. Ella placed George beside her and gave him a kiss. "Goodnight baby boy."

**Please review! Love to hear what you think :3 **


	16. The Stupidest Answer

**Update! I got an idea and really wanted to add it even though I was finished the chapter. I really wanted Fili and Ella to have a fun moment together, so here it is :3**

Ella stretched but still had her eyes closed. She could feel somebody breathing against her. She opened her eyes. It was Fili. He had his arm around her and his face was buried in her hair. Ella looked up. They were inside. In her room and they weren't alone. George was lying between her and Kili, who was in front of her. Ella sat up and saw the other dwarves lying around the room sleeping. Bofur and Ori were lying on the foot of the bed. Nori, Dori and Balin were resting their backs against the bed. Bifor and Bombur were resting against the closet; Gloin and Oin were both sitting in the small sofa that was in her room and Dwalin and Thorin were sitting against the door.

Ella slowly climbed out of bed, stepping over the dwarves as softly as she could. It wasn't easy because she was still wearing her long green dress. She looked at the door.

_How on earth am I going to get out if you two are in the way? _

Ella rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sighed. Thank goodness that they hadn't cleaned her room yet, a lot of the dresses were still scattered around the floor. Her red tunic and her pants too. Ella looked at the window.

_Guess I have no other choice. _She grabbed bag and softly placed her tunic and pants in it. As quiet as she could she opened the window. She stuck her head out. _That's a long way down. _She thought to herself. _Wish Dean could see me now. _Dean? He hadn't popped in her head for along time.

**Flashback.**

_"Why can't I go out with him?!" Ella yelled at her father._

_"Because he's a bad kid!" Her father yelled back._

_"How can you say that?! You don't even know him! I know he's not the most normal person in the world and I know that he has been through a lot of crap but what past is past! It wasn't his fault! I don't start yelling at you because you left mom or because you got Jim locked up behind bars!" Ella yelled with tears in her eyes and ran up the stairs. _

_She slammed her door so loud that a picture on the wall fell down._

_Someone threw a pebble at her window and another one and another one._

_Ella looked up. Her pillow was soaked in tears. She stood up and looked out the window._

_"Dean?" she opened the window._

_"You didn't pick up your phone when I called and you didn't answer my texts." He yelled not to loud._

_"My dad has it. He won't let me go out!"_

_"Why don't you just climb down?"_

_"I can't! It's to high up."_

_"I'll catch you if you fall!" Dean said reaching out his arms. "Oh come on! Don't be such a princess!"_

**End flashback. **

Ella took a deep breath and looked to the side. A vine with millions of flowers was crawling up. Ella's eyes widened in disbelieve, as it was moving up towards her.

_And I thought that this place couldn't get any weirder. _

When the vine was just above her head it stopped growing. Ella wasn't sure what to do but she threw down her bag and took a hold of the vine. Slowly she climbed out of the window and down the wall. It was at least 20 feet but Ella had never been very good with estimating heights. She climbed down and felt the grass between her toes. She grabbed her bag and started walking.

Ella quickly changed behind a tree. It felt good wearing her 'normal' clothes again.

Ella felt around her hip. "Shit." She sighed.

She had left her sword and ax in her room. At least she still had her dagger. She had placed in under her dress for the party. Just incase she would need it. She leaned against the tree and just enjoyed the quietness for a couple of moments. She thought of everything that had happened. The car crash, waking up in Middle Earth, meeting the dwarves, Mosco, the fight with Thorin, the Trolls, the warg chase, being here with the elves, Fili kissing her and of course the party. Ella thought of her parents, her siblings, Dean. She wondered how they were.

**XxX**

She felt a heartbeat against her skin and jumped a little making her crawl up to her feet. The tree. Ella softly placed her hand against the tree. She could feel its heartbeat.

"What the hell?" She quickly ran to another tree and again she could feel its heart beating. "Please don't say that I'm mutating." She said to herself. "Being in Middle Earth is one thing but turning into a mutant is another. One movie at a time!"

Ella couldn't lie to herself. The heart beat of the tree actually felt good.

"_Ella." _

she could feel the wind.

_"Ella." _

Ella turned around and saw Lady Galadriel! "Oh my God!" Ella said to herself. "You're… You're Lady Galadriel!" Ella was jumping in excitement, this was the last thing she expecting.

"Do not be afraid." Galadriel said calm.

"Afraid? Why would I be afraid?! You are like the coolest person ever!" Ella almost shouted in excitement. "Why are you talking to me?" Ella asked trying to calm herself down.

"I am here to help you." Galadriel said.

"Please don't say that you want me to stay too?" Ella was growing tired of people trying to convince her to stay.

"Do not worry my dear. I am here to tell you the opposite."

Ella let out a sigh and placed a hand over her heart. "Oh thank God!"

"Ella place your hand on the tree again."

Ella did as she was told. She could feel its heartbeat again.

"What do you feel?"

"I feel a heartbeat." Ella said calm.

"You do." Galadriel said. "You are an Earthling so that makes you one with the earth. It will help you if you when you cry out."

"Is that what this means?" Ella asked pulling her bangs.

Galadriel nodded.

"So what happened when I left my room wasn't just my imagination?"

Galadriel shook her head.

"Lord Elrond said that I am here for a reason. Is that true?"

"Yes it is." Galadriel said. "Thorin Oakenshield will need your help in the future even if he won't admit it." She said with a smile.

"But what will happen to me if I'm done helping them? Would I just disappear or would I stay? And what about George? Why is he here? He doesn't have colored hair. What is he then? What will happen to him?" Ella had so many questions and she wanted answers.

"You will see in time, my child."

"Look, I know that you have great powers and that I have questions that maybe shouldn't be answered but there is one thing that I want to know: Is my family alright?" Ella looked at the Lady with pleading eyes. "Please I just want to know if they are alright."

"Your family is fine." Galadriel said with a smile. Ella placed a relieving smile on her face.

"How am I supposed to help them? What do I have to do?" Ella asked.

"You will see in time. And remember if you look into your heart, you will always find the right answer." Galadriel said with a soft smile and that was the last thing she said before disappearing.

"That is the stupidest answer I have every heard." Ella said a bit angry and confused.

"What is?"

Ella turned around. "Fili! What are you doing up?"

"I just came to tell you that breakfast was ready." He said one brow raised. He placed his shoulder against a tree.

"Oh right. Thanks."

"Talking to yourself again, are we now?" He said with a teasing smile.

Ella rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm. "You know me. I always talk to myself." She laughed and together they walked back.

**XxX**

"You are alright?" Fili asked as they were walking.

"Yes I am." Ella replied. "So will you stop worrying about me?"

"Sorry princess." He said as he kissed her hand.

"Would you stop calling me that?! Why does everybody keep calling me princess?!" Ella asked with a laugh but a bit annoyed.

"Because you look like one." He replied. " At least you do to me."

"You're such a charmer now stop it before I kick you."

"As you wish…" Fili said. "Princess." He quickly added and ran away.

"Fili! Get your royal-ass back here! Fili!"

"Catch me!" He shouted over his shoulder. Ella ran after him giggling like an eight-year-old schoolgirl.

**XxX**

"Fili stop!" She shouted her leg started hurting again. "I have a injured leg. I-I can't run…" She said as she stopped on top of a hill, trying to catch her breath. She had lost sight of him. "Okay Fili! You win!"

Fili jumped up behind her and tackled her, making them roll around each other as they rolled down the hill. Ella couldn't help but giggle. Fili landed on top of her, he grabbed her wrist and pushed them into the grass.

"What did you say?" He asked with a teasing smile. "I don't think that I heard that right?"

"Nothing." Ella laughed. "I said nothing."

"I don't believe you." He answered and he started tickling Ella.

"No! Fili! Ella screamed laughing. "Let me go!" she tried to turn around but Fili didn't stop. "Alright, ALRIGHT!" She screamed. "You win, you win!" Ella couldn't stop laughing. She felt great.

"Now was that so hard to admit?" Fili asked with a smirk on his face. They were both out of breath but still laughing.

"Now get off of me before Thorin sees us." Ella laughed trying to push him of. "I don't think that it would be wise if he got the wrong impression."

Fili stood up and reached out his arms. "Race ya to the others?"

"No I can't my…"

"Oh come on." He said with a smile. "Don't be such a princess."

"Your so on!" Ella said. "On the count of three. One… Two-"

Ella couldn't even finish her counting and Fili was already off. "Cheater!" She yelled laughing as she ran after him.

**XxX**

They chased each other through the hallways before they entered the balcony were they always ate. Everybody was already eating as they came running in.

"What is going on?!" Thorin asked as he saw Fili and Ella running in. Fili ran around Thorin and made a sharp turn. Ella ran after him but grabbed Thorin by his shirt so that she could make the turn. "ENOUGH!" Thorin shouted and hammered his fist in the table. "Sit down!"

Fili and Ella quickly placed themselves at the table quickly digging into there food. Thorin rolled his eyes and sat down.

"You're in a good mood." Kili stated.

Ella only giggled and hugged George. "I'm just happy!" She said as George tried to push his sister off.

"Ella, let me go!" He said laughing.

"ELLA!" Thorin shouted. "Calm yourself and let you brother go!"

"Sorry father." She quickly said and started eating. "Bombur, can you pass the eggs?"

Everybody looked at her.

"What?" she said with her mouth full of bread. "A girl can't ask for eggs?"

"It's not that lass. It's-" Bofur said but he shut his mouth when he got a look from Balin. "Never mind. It's good to see you like this."

"I feel relieved. I don't know what we ate last night but I feel great!"

George looked up. "Where is Ella and what have you done to my sister?"

"Don't worry baby boy." Ella said kissing his head. "Now eat up and please tell me that that is not wine or ale."

"Don't worry Ella." Kili said. "It's water." Ella sent him a smile and continued eating.

**XxX**

"So what do we have planned for today?" Ella asked after a while.

"We are going to train." Thorin said.

Ella hung her head.

"Again? But we trained yesterday!" George said with his annoying voice.

"I know that!" Thorin snapped a little. "But you two can use all the training you can get."

George hit his head against the table and let out a long sigh. "This is torture." George whispered to Ella. She just nodded in agreement.

**XxX**

Everybody stood up and walked towards the field. "Oh I forgot my weapons upstairs!" Ella yelled and turned back.

"Ella!" Balin shouted.

"I'll be right back! I promise!" and before he could say more she was gone.

Ella ran up the stair towards her room. She looked under her bed and in her closet. "Now where did I put it?" She mumbled to herself.

"Lassie!" Ella heard Balin's voice in the hallway.

"I'm in here!" She yelled back looking in every corner of the room. She looked under every dress that was lying on the floor but she couldn't find it.

"Lass." Balin was standing in the doorway with her weapons in his hands.

"Oh thank God!" She said dramatically. "I thought I lost it."

"Lass would you calm down?" Balin said with a smile. "Were did you get this energy from all of the sudden?"

"Honestly Balin," she said, "I have no clue."

"Alright then. Let's go before Thorin will have both of our heads." He gave her a smile and together they walked to the others.

**XxX**

"Ella!" Thorin shouted. "You're going to practice your ax with Dwalin!"

Ella quickly stepped over to Dwalin. She had a big smile on her face.

"Don't look at me like that lass." Dwalin said taking a step back. "I don't like it."

"Sorry can't help it." Ella said trying to get the smile of her face. It didn't really go away.

Dwalin threw his ax at her head but she quickly duck away.

"What the hell was that for?!" She yelled angry.

"That's the face I want!" Dwalin shouted." Now charge!"

Ella practiced with Dwalin for a couple of hours.

"Well done, lassie." He said patting her back. "Now lets see how good you aim is."

Dwalin drew a target on a tree.

"Now pretend this is someone who you would want to kill." He said pointing at the target.

"Thorin?" She said with a smile.

"No." Dwalin quickly said. "Maybe an Orc is a better choice."

**Hey People!  
I've been sick so if there are any mistakes, sorry :3  
Hope you like it :3  
And as always: Please review I'd love to know what you think ;3**


	17. Leaving Rivendell

They had been practicing for so long that they had forgotten lunch so when it grew darker everybody was starving. Of course there was meat again and food was soon flying around. Ella had to duck several times when Fili asked for the sausages. No matter how long Ella had been with the dwarves she still couldn't get used to their eating habits, unlike George. He was just enjoying himself and joining them as well.

Ella thought about what Gandalf had said to her about George. She didn't want to leave him but if he went with he could die. Ella didn't know what to do.

"You alright?" Fili leaned against her.

She shook her head. "Yeah I'm fine. Just thinking again."

Fili rubbed her back. "Don't. It's not good for you." He said with a smile.

"I'm a woman. I can't help it." She said laughing. "George, where are you going?" Ella asked as George stood up.

"I'm gonna go play outside with Kili."

"You know the rules. Finish you plate first."

"But Ella, please?" He said with his cutest puppy eyes.

"Go on." Fili said waving him off. George quickly hugged him and left.

Ella raised a brow at him and rolled her eyes.

"This is going to be fun." Bofur said.

"What is?" Ella asked as she drank from her cup.

"You worry to much." Gloin said.

"Well of course I do." Ella stated. "I'm his sister."

"But your acting like his mother." Dwalin said.

Ella rubbed her eyes, moved her fingers to her temple and down her jaw. "I know." She said soft. "I just don't want to see him hurt, that's all."

"We know you do, lass." Balin said with a smile. "But you're still young too."

"I know I am."

"Then stop worrying so much." Fili said placing an arm around her waist. "Besides what can go wrong? Kili is with him isn't he?"

A yell. Everybody rose.

_"Help! Let me go!"_

"Kili!" Fili yelled and ran. Everybody quickly followed.

"So what were you saying earlier?"

**XxX**

Everybody stopped when they saw Kili. George had tied him against a tree and was sitting in front of him. Fili left out a sigh in relief. Ella couldn't hold her giggle in as she looked at Fili. "What happened?" Ella asked laughing.

"We were playing cops and robbers." George said. "But Kili didn't know how to play and we had no prison so I tied him to the tree."

Ella shook her head and placed herself next to George.

"You're not going to help me?!" Kili asked.

"Um… Nope." Ella said over her shoulder with a smile. "This is your punishment for giving George that drink yesterday." Kili hung his head and the other dwarves started laughing.

After being outside for a while, they cut Kili loose and they played and ran around for a couple of more hours. Balin, Bilbo and Thorin had gone earlier to read the map. After they were gone the made another campfire. George was sitting in Ella's lap as they listened to a story Dwalin was telling while Fili and Kili were putting hundreds of small white flowers in Ella's hair.

George yawned when Dwalin was done storytelling. "Alright Baby Boy, let's get you to bed." Ella said standing up.

"But I'm not tired." Ella didn't listen and just picked him up. "Say goodnight." She told George."

"Goodnight." He said softly.

"GOODNIGHT." Everybody said at the same time as they walked back.

**XxX**

"George are you still awake?" Ella asked as they stood in front of her room.

"Uhu." George said sleepy.

"I need to talk to you about something." Ella said before placing him on the ground. He rubbed his eye and she sat on her knees.

"What is it?" George asked sleepy.

"There is a secret message on the map and Thorin is trying to read them now but I think it means that we are going to leave in the morning."

"But I don't want to leave." George said. "I like it here."

"I know you do." Ella said with a smile. "That's why I am going to let you choose."

George looked confused.

"Gandalf is going to buy us some time before we leave because the elves don't want us to go."

"Why?"

"Because the elves don't think that this quest is a very smart thing to do but Gandalf said that if you wanted too, that you could stay with him until he will join us again."

"But what about you?" George asked.

"I am going to leave in the morning together with the others. But you can stay here a little longer if you want to."

"Are you leaving me?" George asked with tears in his eyes.

Ella pulled him into a hug. "Oh no, Baby Boy. I would never do that." She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "I just want you to be safe." She stroked her hand through his hair.

"Please don't make me stay." He said crying. "I don't want you to leave me. I want to come with you."

"Alright then." Ella said with tears in her own eyes. "Lets get you to bed then okay?"

George nodded and Ella wiped away his tears.

She opened the door and placed him on the bed. She took of his boots and placed a blanket over him. "Ella?" George asked, as she was about to walk out of the room. "Will you stay with me?"

Ella turned around and gave her little brother a smile. "Of course I will." She took of her own boots and lay beside him. She hummed a lullaby and felt George fall asleep.

Not long after she could hear the dwarves coming her way. The door softly opened and Ella looked up. She could see eleven heads popping through the crack.

"Hey." She whispered to them. They stepped through the door.

"Is he alright?" Kili asked softly.

Ella just nodded. "He asked me to stay." She whispered. "He was afraid that I was going to leave him."

Fili gave her a smile and place himself next to her. "We don't want you leaving us either." He said before placing his head in her neck.

Everybody was agreeing in silence.

"I wouldn't dream about it." She whispered to the others with a smile. Everybody gave her a nod and placed themselves in the room and falling asleep.

**XxX**

"Ella wake up." Thorin said shaking her soft. "We leave in half an hour."

"Wha-What time is it?" she asked sleepy.

"That doesn't matter. Now go and pack your things."

"Just five more minutes." She pulled her blanket over her head.

"Half an hour!" Thorin growled softly as he left her room.

Ella sat up and looked around. Everybody had already left. Ella quickly jumped out of bed and opened the curtains. The sun was barely up. She lid a few candles so that she could see more. She changed her red tunic into the dark magenta and changed her pants with one of her leggings. She also placed Fili's dagger under her shirt, just in case she would loose her other weapons. She grabbed her bag and put her remaining shirt, legging and trousers in it. She pulled on her boots and rolled up the blankets that were lying on a chair. She looked in her closet. "Maybe I could take one dress with me? I don't think that they would mind if I took a souvenier!" Ella pulled out a short dark green dress that when to her knees and pushed it in her bag "There, almost ready to go." She said to herself with a smile then the door opened.

"Aafke." Ella said surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I can to say goodbye." Aafke said. "I heard you and George talking last night."

Ella looked down and continued packing. "I'm sorry that I have to leave like this." Ella said.

Aafke gave her a smile and handed her a shirt.

"What's this?" Ella asked holding it up.

"It's a present."

Ella held the shirt up pressed against her shoulders and chest. It was sea blue and had a beautiful silver collar. "Aafke… I-I don't know what to say. Thank you!" Ella said. "I'm going to put in on right now!" Ella quickly pulled her tunic over her head and put her new shirt on. "It fits perfectly!" Ella said looking into the mirror. "Thank you! It really looks beautiful!"

"I'm glad you like it." Aafke said with a smile.

"I'm sorry that we didn't spend enough time together." Ella said while putting her big leather jacked and her weapons on. "Maybe I'll come back one day."

"I sure hope so." Aafke said.

George opened the door. "Ella, we're leaving." He said. "Everybody's waiting for you downstairs." He wore his dark green shirt, his dark trousers, boots, a jacket and his sword. He looked like a real warrior.

"Alright. Tell the others that I'm coming."

He closed the door again and walked away.

"See you again soon?" Ella asked and gave Aafke a hug. "I believe we will." Aafke said and Ella walked away.

She turned around once more to see Aafke standing in the hallway. "Tell Elrond I'm sorry that I wanted to kill him with my ax when I'm gone!" She said through the hallway and waved.

"I will!" Aafke shouted back. "We will meet again soon, princess!"

"I'M NOT A PRINCESS!" Ella shouted laughing turning and skipping down the corner.

**XxX**

"Ready to go, lass?" Balin asked. Ella grabbed George's hand. "Yep, ready as I'll ever be." "Let's go before anyone notices us missing." Thorin said and they walked away.

Ella took hold of Fili's hand before smiling at him. "Don't leave me?" she smiled.

"Never." He replied and together they walked out.

After walking out George had grabbed Kili's hand. Kili looked at Ella over his shoulder and she gave him a small approving nod. She hoped that the choice of taking George along with themwas the right one but she really didn't know. Ella stood still and gave everything a last and final look. She sure hoped that she could return here one day. She looked over to a window and saw Aafke waving. She waved back and let out a small sigh before following Fili.

"Balin you know these paths." Thorin said. "Lead on." "Alright." Balin answered and took the lead.

As Fili and Ella past Thorin she could hear him calling to Bilbo. "Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up." Everybody gave Rivendell one last look and they turned to the mountain path.

"How your leg holding up?" Fili asked Ella after half an hour.

"It only hurts a little but I'll be fine."

"You let us know if it hurt alright?" Fili squeezed her hand. Ella leaned up against his arm.

"I will."

**Short chapter I know and I'm sorry!**

**The next one will be a bit longer. I just needed them to get out of Rivendell ;3**

**Love to hear your comments and reviews!**


	18. Stayed at Home

After a days walk everybody's feet were aching, they were hungry and when the thought that it couldn't get any worse it started getting worse. A thunderstorm was heading straight for them. Ella quickly closed George's jacket and placed his hood up.

"You'll thank me for it later." She said with a smile. Ella was pushed in front of Kili, together with George, as they moved onto a tight mountain path. Ella was standing between Kili and George. George had Dori in front who held on to his hand.

"Watch where you step, lad." He told George.

The rain was hitting them hard in their faces. Everybody was soaking wet and the small path had gotten slippery. Kili had grabbed Ella by the hips a couple of times from preventing her from falling over.

"Steady!" She heard Thorin yell through the rain. "Hold on!"

She could barely hear him. Ella quickly grabbed Kili's hand and held her other hand against the mountain.

"We couldn't have waited one more day." She whispered to herself.

It started raining even harder and everybody was watching where they were stepping.

Ella heard a growl in the distance but shook the noise off of her and thought that I would be Thorin, because what would be out here in the middle of nowhere? Apparently Bilbo had heard it to and looked up but slipped. Thank goodness that Dwalin and Bofur were there by his side or he would have fallen off. Ella pushed George a little closer to her.

"We must find shelter!" Thorin yelled.

_And he first figures that out now because?_

"LOOK OUT!" Dwalin yelled.

Ella looked up and saw a giant rock flying over their heads. "What the hell?!"

"Ella! Cover your head!" Fili yelled.

Ella basically threw herself over George. "It's gonna be okay, Baby Boy!" She said to him as she pulled his close. George just held on to her collar as Ella protected his head and pushed him against the mountain.

"Take cover!" She heard someone yell.

"That would be a great idea!" she yelled back sarcastically.

She knew that it wasn't the right time but she couldn't care less. Big pieces of rock came falling past them.

Balin stood up. "This is no ordinary thunderstorm! It's a thunder battle! Look!" He shouted pointing to the other side of the mountain.

Ella's eyes grew wide as she could see a man made out of rock stand up. "What the hell is that?!" She carefully helped George to his feet.

"Well bless me!" Bofur said. "The legends are true! giants, stone giants!" The stone giant threw a giant piece of the mountain their way. Ella looked back at Fili but saw another giant appear behind him. The piece of mountain hit him right in the face!

"Take cover you fools!" Thorin s

houted. "Hold on!" Dwalin shouted. Ella pushed George to the mountain. The mountain was shaking and Ella saw pieces of the path crumble. She looked at Fili with worried eyes. "Just hold on!" Fili shouted. "Kili grab my hand!" He yelled.

Ella saw that the mountain was breaking in two.

"Kili!" Fili shouted. "Take care of her!"

The mountain split

"Fili!" Ella had tears in her eyes. "You promised!"

Kili had to stop her from jumping after him.

"Let me go!" She cried.

"Ella stop!" Kili shouted at her. "You need to take care of George." Ella knew that this was hard for Kili as well, so she obeyed.

Ella looked up and saw that they were standing on the knees of a new giant. "Kili what do we do?!" She held on to George as tight as she could.

The giant moved and the whole thing felt like a rollercoaster, they smashed into a hard piece of mountain.

"Go! Go! Go!" She heard someone say. Dori took George by his hand and Kili pushed Ella forward. They now stood on a solid piece of rock and saw the others disappear. Ella held on to Kili. She didn't want to lose him too.

"Look out!" She heard someone yell. She looked up and she saw a fighting match between the two stone giants. She saw another one throwing a piece of rock against the giant, where the others were on. The giant struggled and fell with his knee against the mountain. Ella could see the other crash.

"Oh no." Ella said softly as a tear ran down her cheek as she saw the stone giant stumbling down. Kili just held her with tears in his own eyes.

"Fili!" Thorin shouted. Their part of the group ran as fast as they could to the others.

"It's alright!" Dwalin shouted. "Their alive."

Kili and Ella jumped up.

"Fili!" Ella cried as she saw him lying against the mountain. Kili had the biggest smile on his face when he saw that his brother was alive. Ella ran to Fili as fast as she could. Smothering him with a thousand kisses, tears of joy running down her cheek.

"Are you okay?! Are you hurt?!"

Fili gave her a smile and pulled her in for a kiss.

"Where's Bilbo?" Bofur asked. "Where's the hobbit?!"

Ella and Fili looked up as they let go of each other.

"There!" George yelled pointing down. Bilbo was hanging on the side of the mountain. Ella could see him slipping.

"Grab him!" Dwalin shouted.

Ella ran to the others.

"Bilbo grab my hand!" Bofur said. Bilbo's arms were to short and he was about to fall until Thorin jumped down and pushed him up. Thorin was now trying to get up himself but slipped too. Dwalin caught him just in time. Ella placed a hand over her heart and sighed in relief.

"I thought we lost our burglar." Dwalin said when he had pulled Thorin up.

"He's been lost ever since he left home." Thorin growled. "He should never have come! He has no place amongst us."

Something in Ella snapped. "How dare you say that?!" She yelled at Thorin. "If it wasn't for Bilbo then-"

"SHUT IT GIRL! Or I will send you back to Rivendell!" Thorin shouted. "He was not the only one who should have stayed home!"

Ella wanted to shout back but before she could Thorin had left. Fili looked at her as he tried to help up Bombur.

**XxX**

George grabbed Ella. "He didn't mean it." He said soft before they entered the cave.

_Yes he did. _Ella had had enough of Thorin.

"Alright then lets get a fire started." Gloin said when Ella entered the cave.

"No." Thorin said. "No fires, not in this place." He took a couple of more steps. "Get some sleep." He ordered looking at Ella. "We start at first light."

Ella heard the dwarves agree.

"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us." Balin said. "That was the plan."

"Plans change." Thorin said. How Ella just wished that she could rip his head of. "Bofur, take first watch." Bofur just nodded.

The storm had gotten worse.

"Ella." George said soft. "My feet hurt."

"I know baby boy." She said trying to forget Thorin. "My feet hurt too."

Fili put a hand on her shoulder and looked at George. "Let's try to get some sleep."

Kili and Fili had placed the bedrolls and they were ready already falling asleep. It didn't take long for George to fall asleep either. He was pressed against Ella, Ella lay beside Fili and Kili was beside him. Ella tried to sleep but she couldn't. She was still too angry.

_How dare he say something like that to Bilbo!?_Ella heard movement and looked up.

_Why is Bilbo packing his stuff? _Ella decided that I would be best not to move and just listen.

"_Where do you think you're going?" _Bofur asked a softly.

_"Back to Rivendell." _Bilbo said.

_"No, no, you can't turn back now. You're part of the company. You're one of us." _

_"I'm not though, am I?" Bilbo asked. "Thorin said that I should never have come and he was right. I'm not a Took I'm a Baggins, I don't know what I was thinking. I should never have run out of my door." _

_"You're home sick." _Bofur explained. _"I understand." _

_"No you don't, you don't understand. None of you do, you're dwarves! You're used to-to this life, to live on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere!" _

For a moment Ella heard nothing but silence.

"_I-I am sorry. I didn't…" _Bilbo cleared his throat.

_"No, you're right." _Bofur said sad. _"We don't belong anywhere." _

Ella looked at George. Maybe they didn't belong anywhere either.

"_I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do." _Bofur said. _"What's that?"_

Ella looked up for one small moment. She saw Bilbo lifting his sword. I was glowing blue. Ella heard something moving it sounded like… sand.

"Wake up." Thorin said suddenly. "Wake up!"

The floor cracked before Thorin had gotten everybody's attention. Pieces of floor were disappearing beneath them. Ella held on to George. Everybody was sliding through an underground tunnel before landing on a wooden platform with huge spikes on the side.

"Look out! Look out!" Dori yelled.

Ella pushed Bifor off of her. Goblins. Ella's eyes widened. She looked around and tried to find George. She couldn't see him anywhere. "George!" Ella yelled. "Where are you?!" There was a panic in her voice. Then she heard him scream. Before Ella could do something the goblins grabbed the others as well.

A goblin a head taller then all the others grabbed Ella and threw her over his shoulder.

"Let me go you bastard!" She screamed. "Put me down!" She commanded. She kicked her feet and she was hitting him in the back but he didn't het go.

"Ella!" George yelled. "Elly help!"

"George it going to be alright!" She yelled back. "If you hurt my brother, I swear to God, I'll rip your head of and shove it up your ass! NOW RELIECE ME!" Ella couldn't see George but she felt relieved when she had heard his voice. "Fili, Kili!" Ella shouted. When she heard there voices too she started struggling again. "You can't do this! Now put me down." She kicked a goblin in front of her in his head. "I SAID PUT ME DOWN!" Ella looked up. She saw a city full of goblins. "Oh hell no!" She said to herself. "Let me out! You can't do this to me! Let me GO!" She shouted as loud as she could but the goblin still didn't let her go.

After being carried away and screaming and struggling for five minutes Ella saw a giant goblin. He wore a crown of teeth and had a giant staff with sculls. He looked disgusting he had some sort of swine virus mixed with Leprosy or the Hansen's disease. He looked horrible. Ella almost had to puke at the sight of him.

"Put me down!"

The goblin threw her down and grabbed her weapons.

"Those are mine, you bastard!" Ella was pushed together with the other dwarves and she could see George standing behind Kili. At least he was safe, right?

Dwalin pulled Ella close. "Not a word." He whispered. Ella was furious and scared but she just nodded. The giant goblin stepped from his thrown.

"Who would be so bold to come armed into my kingdom?" He asked. "Spies? Thieves? Assassins?!"

Ella rolled her eyes. She was standing in the back but she could still smell his breath.

"Dwarves, your Evillency." A goblin that had taken Ella said bowing to his king.

"Dwarves?!"

"We found them on the front porch."

"Front porch, my ass!" Ella growling whispered to herself.

"Well don't just stand there!" The goblin king shouted, "Search them!" The goblins pulled and pushed the dwarves. "Every crack! Every crevice!"

"Put me down!" George squealed. "Let me go!"

Ella's heart dropped as she looked up. One of the goblins had pulled out George.

"What's this?" The goblin king asked. "A baby dwarf?" He moved closer to George. "What are you doing in these parts?" He asked him. "Speak!"

George said nothing.

"Very well!" The goblin king said. "If you will not talk, we'll make you squawk!" The goblins cheered. "Bring out the mangler, bring out the bone crusher!"

"You touch him and I'll CUT YOUR HEAD OFF!" Ella threatened.

"Will you now?" The goblin king said. He looked surprised at Ella. "Grab her!" The king ordered.

Dwalin jumped in front of her trying to fight the goblins away but it didn't work. The big goblin had dragged her in front of the throne.


	19. Goblins

"And I thought that this day couldn't get any better." The goblin king said with a smile on his face as Ella was being dragged away. "Let me go, you pieces of shit!" Ella yelled at the goblins dragging her. "PUT ME DOWN!" "We got ourselves a fighter!" The goblin king took her by her legs and held her upside down. Ella tried to move as much as she could. "Aren't you a pretty little princess?" "I am not a princess!" Ella yelled. "Now put me down!" "Do not worry, your highness." The king said mockingly. "I will not harm you, at least not yet. Get me a cage!" he ordered one of the goblins. "After all..." He said running his finger through Ella's hair. "I don't believe I can." He had an evil smile on his face and he threw Ella in a cage. Ella landed hard against the bars before he locked the door. The cage she had been thrown in looked a lot like a birdcage only it was big enough for her.

"Now where were we?" He asked. "Ah, yes. We start with the youngest!" He pointed at George and Ori. "Wait!" Ella tried to break the bar but they were too strong. When she looked up she saw Thorin stepping forward. "Well, well, well. Look who it is. Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. King under the mountain." He said mockingly and bowed. "Oh but I forget you don't have a mountain. And you're not a king, which makes you nobody really." "You take that back you bastard!" Ella yelled from behind the bars. "Nobody calls him that except for me!" Ella jumped in anger but she was ignored by the goblin king. Ella looked at Thorin. He still stood there, head high and chest up. "I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head." The goblin king said with a smile. "Just the head. Nothing attached." The smaller goblins started laughing. "Perhaps you know of whom I speak?" The king asked Thorin. "An old enemy of yours." Thorin looked up. "A pale Orc, astride a white Warg." Ella looked at Thorin through the bars. "Azog the defiler was destroyed. He was slain in battle long ago!" There was no doubt in Thorin's voice. The goblin king laughed in his face. "Send word to the pale Orc." He ordered to a goblin on a swing. "Tell him that I have found his price."

_Ella you need to do something! _Ella thought by herself pacing around in her cage. They had placed her next to the throne. Ella put a hand on her hip. She felt something. Ella moved her hand along her ribs. Fili's knife, she still had it! "Okay Ella." She said to herself. "Think, think, think!" _I could try to pick the lock_. She quickly shook her head. "No you can't do that they'll see you. On the other hand this is a movie or a book or what ever." She said waving her words away. " But maybe they won't notice." Ella just kept on talking to herself. "Quiet!" The goblin king yelled at her. "Sorry!" She said sarcastic. "It's what I do but I'm not a dog so I don't have to listen to you!" The goblin king picked up the cage and placed it next to him. He just looked at her. "You can ask Thorin." She said. "I'm not a very good listener." "Stop talking!" He shook the cage. "Um…No. You are not my father so I don't have to listen to you." Ella said before standing up again and she started pacing. "You know," Ella started. "You should really do something about that rash. It doesn't look very healthy. Maybe you should wear women's clothes? I heard that could help sometimes don't ask me why and don't ask me how I know." "I said SILENCE!" "And I said that you aren't my father! Why does a woman always have to repeat herself?" Some of the dwarves looked at Ella in great confusion. "What are you guys looking at?" "QUIET!" The king kept yelling. "Maybe you should also wear a bra." Ella just kept on talking "You know a man's bra." The goblin king pushed the cage over, stood up and started singing as he could see torture tools coming his way.

Ella yelped and the fell to the floor with a hard thump and they almost rolled over the side. "Ella!" Fili yelled. Ella moved away from the side as much as she could. "Maybe on the other hand, a woman's bra might be better!" *Crack* Ella looked down. Ella was sitting on the highest part of the cage and its bars weren't as strong as in the bottom. The goblins were holding the dwarves as they tried to get away. _Light bulb! _Ella thought with a smile and got to work. _They won't look at me now._

Ella head turned up when she heard a scream and saw the goblin king crawling up on his throne. _What, why is he…?_ Ella looked at Thorin sword. The king was scared. "I know that sword!" he yelled. "It is the goblin clever!" The goblins stood up and started hitting and lashing the dwarves. "The biter, the blade that sliced a thousand heads!" The king yelled. "Slash them! Kill them! Kill them all!" Ella was still in the cage and goblins were trying to push her over the edge. "George!" Ella screamed. She lost sight of her baby brother again. "Cut off his head!" The goblin king ordered pointing at Thorin. Before the goblin standing over Thorin could do anything there was a bright light and a gust of wind. Ella's cage flew against the throne and fell into pieces. She could see goblins flying over the edge.

Ella saw a shadow movie. "Gandalf." She said soft as she pushed the bars, pieces of wood and a goblin off of her. "Take up arms." He said. "And fight. Fight!" Everybody quickly pushed themselves up and grabbed their weapons. "Ella!" Fili yelled. She turned around and he threw her weapons to her. He gave her a big smile and started cutting down the goblins that were in his way. "He wields the foe hammer!" The goblin king cried. "The beater, bright as daylight." Ella pushed goblins aside and looked for George. "George!?" Ella yelled. "George, where are you?!" "Ella!" George yelled back. A goblin was holding him. Ella didn't think twice and swung her sword at the goblin and cut his head off. "I warned you!" She said looking down. "It's okay George!" Ella wiped the blood from her face. "Thorin!" She heard Fili yell. Ella turned around and saw the goblin king falling over the edge.

A goblin came running right up to Ella but she quickly swung her sword again. This time she realized what she had done. She was frozen. "Follow me!" Gandalf said. "Quick." Ella couldn't she looked at the dark blood on her hands. "Ella!" Fili yelled grabbing her hand. "It's alright. Come on!" Kili had taken George and they were running as fast as they could across the platforms. "Run!" Gandalf shouted.

Ella and Fili were running in the back. Orcs were surrounding them. "What ever you do, do not drop your weapon." Fili said. "If you do not fight they will hurt George, you have to protect him. Now remember what I told you and don't get killed!" Ella gave Fili a nod and let go of his hand. She was still running behind him but she held both her weapons in her hands.

Bofur pulled Ella in front of him. At the same moment she felt a goblin reaching for her and without even thinking twice she swung her ax at it. She hit it right in the chest. Bofur gave her a proud smile before continuing. Dwalin and some other dwarves cut off the side rail and aimed it at the goblin as they ran they pushed all the goblins a side. Ella saw George slowing down. Kili had let go of him and he was pushed between the dwarves but as they came to a wire bridge, George stopped. He was afraid of heights. Ella grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him across. Once on the other side goblins had surrounded them. "George pull you sword." Ella told him. "But Gandalf said…" "Just do it George!" George did as he was told. There he stood, six years old and he was in the middle of a battle. The siblings stood back to back. Ella swung her sword and her ax with one swing she took out two goblins and she kept on swinging until they could get through, or at least George. Once there was a small hole Ella pushed him through. "Stay with Oin!" She yelled at him while she kept on fighting. "Watch your head!"

"Cut the ropes." Thorin shouted. Ella looked up and saw goblins on ropes heading their way. Ella quickly cut a rope, when she quickly looked at the side she saw George do the same. Fili had gotten a hold on him. Ella sighed in relief and fought back again. To many goblins were in their way. They were shooting arrows at Kili. Kili dodged them with his sword and looked to the side. He took a ladder placed it in front of him and together with the others he pushed his way through. "Kili watch out!" Ella shouted. "Hole in the floor!" Kili looked up and saw that there was a hole in the platform. He threw the ladder across making a bridge. Dwalin scooped up George before jumping over. Ella was the last one and she quickly pushed the ladder a side making goblins drop.

"Ella jump!" Fili shouted. Ella jumped in his arms before Kili cut a rope making the piece of platform that they were standing on swing. "Go!" He pushed her forward but Ella didn't get off at the first swing. As they swung back Goblins jumped aboard. Ella ran towards the edge. "Jump!" Dwalin ordered. They jumped and Fili cut the rope from the platform, causing the platform and the goblins on top, to fall.

As they ran even more goblins came. Bombur was riddled but managed to shake them off. One went running straight for George. "George look out!" She yelled. George looked up and swung his sword. Ella ran to him. "Good boy!" She said patting him on the back. "We have to keep moving. Go!" She grabbed his hand and ran up behind Gandalf. He hit his staff against a piece of stone. The rock rolled down as it splatted the goblins that were in its way. "Maybe a little too much Indiana Jones?" Ella asked into open air running behind the rock.

Ella placed her hand on a pole as they tried to make a sharp turn running up another bridge. She was going to fast and had to throw her legs over the edge as she flipped herself over the ropes and on the bridge. Ella let out a laugh. She was really getting the hang of it. She had to kill a couple of goblins before she was with the others again.

As they were about to run over a crossing the goblin king pushed himself threw the wood. They were trapped the goblin king in front of them and the smaller goblins behind them There were to many to fight off. Ella grabbed George and Fili pushed them in the middle. The goblin king had a scary smile on his face when he looked at her it made her hold on to George even more.

"You thought that you could escape me?" The king asked Gandalf before swinging his staff down, nearly hitting the wizard. Gandalf almost tripped over but Ori and Nori pushed him back up. "What are you going to do now wizard?" Gandalf poked the king in his eye with his staff before swinging his sword at him, cutting his stomach open. Ella pushed George's head into her side. She didn't want him to see this. The king fell to his knees. "That'll do it." The king said before Gandalf sliced his throat. The goblin king fell dead in front of them. His body hit the bridge and apparently the boards weren't made for that. The whole thing started to shake before breaking. Fili jumped next to Ella holding her and George tight as he could while the piece of bridge raced down to the ground against the walls. Ella closed her eyes and hoped that they wouldn't die.

They crashed to the ground, all still in one piece. Ella opened her eyes. Fili had fallen on top of her. They were chest to chest. George? Where was George? "George!" Ella yelled. When Ella turned her head she saw him standing next to Gandalf. "Again, again!" He said jumping up and down pulling Gandalf's robe. Ella let out a sigh in relief and hung her head. "Well that could have been worse." Bofur said. Not two seconds later the body of the goblin king fell on top of them. "You have got to be joking." Dwalin groaned. "You just had to didn't you?" Ella said looking up. Bofur was lying on top of Fili. "GANDALF!" Kili yelled in terror. Everybody looked up the same direction as Kili. Goblins, thousands of them were running their way down the walls. Fili quickly pushed himself up and helped Ella down. "There's to many." Dwalin said. "We can't fight them." "Only one thing will save us." Gandalf said. "Daylight." Ella softly said. "Daylight!" Gandalf said and gave Ella a quick smile. The dwarves quickly help each other up. Fili grabbed Ella's hand and gave it a quick kiss before running through a tunnel.

**Love you hear what you think :3**


	20. Had Enough

They ran down to the light as fast as they could. The sun hurt Ella's eyes but once she got used to it she took a look around. The sun was going down. _How long have we been in there? _Before she could ask what she thought Fili pulled her down the hill. They ran towards the forest. As they came running Ella could hear Gandalf count. Five… Six… Seven… Eight… Bifor, Bofur, George. That makes eleven… Fili, Kili! That makes thirteen. Ella fourteen and Bombur that makes fifteen." They came to a stop and Ella just dropped to the ground catching her breath. She placed her hands over her face and thought for a moment. It had been a hell of a day. Leaving the elves, stone giants, Thorin and Bilbo almost dying or falling from a cliff, the small argument with Thorin again, the goblins, the fight, the blood.

Ella took a deep breath and sat up. She rubbed her face and exhaled. George came running towards her and she was slammed in the ground again. George almost choked her. She could hear him sniff and shake. Ella stood up and carried George in her arms. She was shushing him and rocking him back and forth like a baby who wouldn't stop crying. "It's okay, baby boy." She said soft hand in his hair. "It's okay. Your okay." She paced around like this for a while.

"Where's Bilbo?" Gandalf suddenly asked. "Where is our hobbit?" Ella still rocked George but looked for the hobbit. "Where is our hobbit?!" Everybody looked around. "Curse that Halfling!" Dwalin said. "Hey!" Ella yelled back, she felt something stir in her veins. "Now he's lost? I thought he was with Dori!" "Don't blame me!" Dori snapped back. "But where did you last see him?" Gandalf asked. "I think I saw him slip away when the goblins caught us." Dori replied. "I'll tell you what happened." Thorin growled. "Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it. He had thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hard since first he stepped out of his door." "Don't you go there, Thorin!" Ella snapped. She handed George over to Kili. "You don't know that! None of us do! Maybe something happened to him! How can you even think something like that about Bilbo! HE WOULD NEVER ABANDON US!" Ella had had enough of Thorin's hate against the hobbit. "How dare you even say such a thing?!" "We will not be seeing our hobbit again." Thorin said, his eyes piercing through Ella's soul. "He is long gone!" Ella walked her way to Kili and kissed George on his head. She stomped her way back to the mountain. "Where do you think your going?!" Thorin shouted. "Going to find Bilbo and as far away from you as I can." There was hatred in her words. She had never felt so dark. Even the sky seemed to agree with her as cloud grew thicker and heavier.

"No, he isn't." Ella turned around to see Bilbo standing behind Balin. Ella forgot what she had said and ran toward the hobbit. She gave him a real bear hug and she lifted him a little from the ground. "Oh thank Christ you're still alive!" "Bilbo Baggins." Gandalf said as Ella placed Bilbo down. "I have never been so happy to see anyone in my life." "Bilbo!" Kili said as he put George down. "We had given you up." "How did you get past the goblins?" Fili asked. Ella stepped next to him and grabbed his hand. "How indeed?" Dwalin asked. Bilbo just chuckled and put his hand in his pocket.

There was something wrong Ella could feel it. "What does it matter? He's back." Gandalf said. "It matters." Thorin said. Ella opened her mouth to argue again but Thorin lifted his hand. "I want to know! Why did you come back?" "Look I know you doubt me. I-I know, I know you always have." Bilbo began. "And you right. I often think of Bag End. I miss my books and my armchair and my garden." A small smile came across Ella's face. "See that's where I belong, that's home and that's why I came back. Because you don't have one, a home." Bilbo quickly looked at Ella and George. "It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can." A painful silence felt over the group. Ella now held on to Fili and looked him in the eyes before placing her head on his shoulder.

Ella, Fili, Kili and George sat on a rock. Ella was cleaning George's face of goblin blood. He had a small wound over his right eyebrow and Ella looked concerned at him. "Are you alright, sweetie?" Ella asked fixing his hair. "I think so." George said looking down. Ella grabbed him and place George on her lap as she leaned against Fili. "What a day." She sighed. Fili left out a soundless chuckle. Ella could feel his shoulder shake. Ella poked him in his side. "Are you okay?" She gave him a concerning look. "I am now." He said and kissed her head. She turned her head and faced Kili. "You okay, too?" "Yes." He said with a smile on his face. "I could use a kiss though." Ella slapped his arm and smiled. "Aw." He said dramatically rubbing his arm. "Oh don't be such a princess." Ella smiled before placing a quick kiss on his cheek. Kili turned red and quickly glanced at his older brother who just gave him a nod. "What was that for?" Kili asked in surprise. "For taking care of George." Ella ruffled her hand through George's hair.

Ella heard something beyond the trees. "Did you guys hear that?" Ella asked Fili and Kili. "Hear what?" A howl came from a distance. Ella flinched at the sound and jumped up. "What was that?!" She asked but she already knew the answer. "Out of the frying pan." She heard Thorin say. "And into the fire. Run." Gandalf ended. "RUN!" he shouted. Everybody quickly ran after Gandalf. Ella grew scared. The more scared she grew the darker the sky turned. Ella looked over her shoulder. Wargs were coming their way. "Keep going!" She told George. "You have to keep running and don't look back!" Ella looked over her shoulder again when she heard a growl. A warg had jumped over Bilbo and started charging at him. Bilbo quickly drew his sword in defense. Ella saw the warg fall to the ground; Bilbo's sword was in its scull.

More wargs came. Ella was in front of the group but stopped at the cliff end and turned around facing Gandalf. "Were trapped." She told him. "Up, into the trees" He ordered. "All of you! Come on, climb!" This was one order Ella couldn't disagree with. "George!" she yelled. Ella's little brother came running to her. "I need you to stay with Gandalf." She quickly said. Tears of fear appeared in George's eyes. "Ella no please…" "George stop it!" Ella grabbed George by the arms and shook him lightly. "I need you to be a brave little boy! Now go with Gandalf!" Ella pushed him up Gandalf tree. Ella looked at Bilbo. He was trying to get his sword out of the creature. "They're coming!" Thorin shouted. Ella grabbed her ax and quickly ran to Bilbo. She helped him pull his sword out.

They turned around. Tens of wargs were running their way. "Bilbo! Hurry!" Ella pulled him by the arm. "Up in the trees!" Bilbo jumped in the same tree as Fili and Kili. Thorin reached out his arm to Ella and quickly pulled her up. It was only seconds later that wargs were jumping up against the trees snapping at their legs. Ella kicked one in the face and climbed a branch higher.

"Can't we just have a days rest?" Ella asked out of breath. "I thought Bofur said that it couldn't get any worse?" Ella saw the corned of Thorin's lips curl up. "It's not funny." Thorin turned and face Ella. "What are we going to do now?" Ella asked him. "I don't know." He said honestly. Ella looked around and counted the dwarves on her fingers. At least everybody was off the ground. "Something's wrong." She said soft to Thorin as the wargs surrounded the trees. "They should be attacking us. Why aren't they attacking us?" Thorin's face turned away from Ella. "Thorin?" She asked scared he didn't respond. "Thorin?! Talk to me!" She tried to shake him. "Azog." He whispered. Ella now looked at the same direction as Thorin. Her face went white as she saw the pale orc standing on a rock. He took a deep breath and looked at Thorin. Ella had never seen this look on Thorin. He was always so strong and now he look scared. The orc said something Ella couldn't understand. The only thing she understood was Thorin and Thrain. The pale orc was talking about Thorin's father. "It can not be." Thorin whispered. Ella's eyes widened in fear and surprise. She had never heard this fear in Thorin's voice before.

The pale orc pointed at Thorin and let out a roar. More wargs came running their way; they were trying to jump up the trees. Ella pulled her knees closer to her chest as she held on to a branch. Thorin and Balin nearly slipped as the trees shook. Some wargs were pushing over the trees. Ella, Thorin and Balin had to jump in Fili, Kili and Bilbo's tree until theirs broke too and the trees were now falling against each other giving it a domino effect. All the dwarves ended in the tree on the edge of the cliff together with Gandalf and George.

"Bad dog!" Ella yelled and kicked one in the face. "Down!" She climbed at couple of branches higher and stood next to George. "Gandalf we have to do something!" Ella shouted up at the wizard. "The tree is going to break if you don't find something fast!" Gandalf looked to the side and grabbed a pinecone, lid it on fire and threw it down. It worked the wargs were stepping back. "Here." Gandalf said handing Ella and George a pinecone. Ella and George threw it down. The fire was spreading fast after the dwarves started throwing too. Wargs and trees were on fire causing most off them to back off. The dwarves cheered in victory but only a little too soon. The roots of the tree that they were standing on started to give in.

Ella grabbed the trees trunk as the tree was dangling over the edge of the cliff. As Ella wrapped her arms and legs over the trunk, so did her hair. The color in her hair started glowing green and her hair started braiding its self into the tree. She screamed in pain as she could feel the weigh of the tree hanging on to its roots. "Hold on Ella!" Gandalf said. Tears of pain were streaming down her face. Ella looked up at her hair and then down. They were so far up that she couldn't see the ground beneath them. "Don't let go!" Gandalf shouted. Somehow Ella knew that if she would let go or give up that the tree would do the same. She wouldn't let that happen. "Mister Gandalf!" She heard Dori shout. Ella tried to turn her head but couldn't every time she would, her hair would braid its self even more into the tree causing herself even more pain. "Hold on Dori!" She heard someone shout.

Ella's legs gave in and she was now dangling over the edge. Ella would only be able to hang on for so long. With her own wait now hanging on to her hair as well she could feel blood streaming down her neck. Ella felt a shiver down her spine when she saw Thorin walk across the trunk toward Azog, the pale orc. "Thorin! No don't!" Ella screamed but he didn't listen.

**It was a lot harder to write this chapter then I thought. It took longer too :3  
Hopefully I will write one more chapter about the way it is in the movie and if I have any luck I'll get the book with my birthday :3 Otherwise I'll have a little problem… But lets not think about that. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review. Like always I'd love to hear what you think :3**


	21. A Good Omen

"_Thorin! No don't!" Ella screamed but he didn't listen._

Ella couldn't see but she heard enough. More tears started flowing down her face as she heard Thorin shout in pain. "Thorin!" Dwalin shouted trying to get to the king but he almost fell down the tree as the branch he was holding broke. Thorin let out another cry but then Ella heard a sword swing and she felt Thorin falling against the ground though the tree. She felt no movement. She heard no screams only the voices of the orcs. "Gandalf!" Ella cried. "Please! You have to do something!" Ella was starting to feel weak and she wouldn't be able to hold the tree much longer. She looked up and saw the hobbit standing above her, his sword ready in his hand.

"Bilbo, don't even think about it!" Ella shouted. "Your not-" "Ella, you just make sure that the tree doesn't let go!" Bilbo said quickly patting her arm and ran from the tree as Thorin had done. "BILBO NO!" Ella shouted in anger. "Somebody do something!" Everybody heard Bilbo's battle cry and an orc screaming in pain. This caused the others to pull themselves up. "Hold on, love." Fili said soft before jumping over her arms. "Be careful!" She shouted as she saw some of the dwarves running off. "George stay there!" Ella ordered as she could feel him move through the tree.

"Dori! Ori!" Ella screamed as she could hear them fall. She looked down as a giant bird scooped them on its back. "Gandalf?" she asked. "Don't worry my lady." He said calm. "They will be alright." More birds came and threw the wargs and orcs of the cliff. Some others came and lifted or pushed the remaining dwarves out of the tree. Ella had gathered enough strength to swing her legs around the tree again. She wouldn't let go og the tree until every last one of the company was on a bird.

The roots of the tree broken and Ella was falling toward the ground together with it. Ella closed her eyes waiting to fall to the ground when she felt a couple of claws pulling her away from the tree. Ella let out a little yelp and grabbed tight around the paw of a giant bird. The bird flew over the bird that George was sitting on, before dropping her. Ella pulled George close. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?!" Ella took a good look at George. "I'm okay." He smiled and gave Ella a hug. Ella flinched at the pain she felt growing in her scull. She ran her hand through the braids on the back of her head and looked at it. Her hand was filled with blood. "Ella you're bleeding." George said worried. "You got that right." Ella said with a smile. Ella threw off her armor and pulled the shirt that she had gotten from Aafke over her head and pushed it against the back of her scull. Once more she was happy that she was wearing her bra. "We'll take a look at it when we're on the ground." Ella said trying to calm George down. He looked really concerned. "Be happy you don't have long hair." She said and George let out a small laugh. "Try to get some sleep." Ella kissed George on the head. "Nothing will hurt us this high up." George lay himself down, his head lay in Ella's lap and he slowly fell a sleep. _Guess that's enough adventure for one day. _Ella though and let out a sigh.

Ella had almost closed her eyes as she heard a voice. "Thorin!" Fili yelled. Ella's eyes shot open and she looked across the birds trying to find Thorin's. Suddenly she wasn't tired anymore. "Oh no…" Ella softly whispered to herself. Thorin was lying in the claws of one of the birds. He was either unconscious or dead and Ella feared the worse.

It wasn't much longer before the birds started circling a tall boulder. The birds dropped Thorin first then Gandalf and then the others. Ella and George were some of the last once and Ella felt relieved to see Thorin alive as Dwalin and Kili helped him up. But of course Thorin being Thorin he started growling at the Hobbit. Ella rolled her eyes as she could see Thorin was about to start yelling at poor Bilbo. "You!" He started. "What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed." Ella stepped behind Fili, not wearing her shirt amongst the other made her uncomfortable. "Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild? That you had no place amongst us?" Ella held on to Fili's coat with her free hand as the other one still tried to stop the bleeding with her shirt. She looked at the poor hobbit and Thorin. The tension in the air felt like Thorin was going to throw him off of the boulder. "I have never been so wrong in all my life." Ella eyes widened in surprise as she saw Thorin hugging the hobbit. Everybody let out a cheer. Ella just placed herself against Fili's back and let out a sigh in relieve. "I am sorry I doubted you." Thorin said. "No I would have doubted me too." Bilbo said, "I'm not a hero or a warrior. Or even a burglar." He said looking at Gandalf.

Everybody turned around and gave the birds on last look before they flew away, everybody except for Thorin and Bilbo, who looked over to a distance. "Is that what I think it is?" Ella heard Bilbo say softly. Ella turned around and so did the others. Together the company walked closer to the edge. "Erebor," Gandalf said. "The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle Earth." It looked beautiful from the distance. Ella wondered what it would look like from the inside. Or how it would have looked all those years ago. "Our home." Thorin said quietly. "A raven!" Oin said. "The birds are returning to the mountain." "That, my dear Oin, is a thrush." Gandalf said. "But we'll take it as a sign." Thorin said. "A good omen." "You're right, I do believe the worst is behind us." Bilbo said. They stood for a few more seconds in quietness staring at the mountain.

"Sorry to interrupt your moment of happiness of what ever." Ella said waving her hand. "But I could use some help!" She said quickly. Everybody turned around and face Ella. Ella felt her cheeks blush as everybody was staring at her. Gandalf walked over to her and patted her head. "Don't worry, my lady. You're fine." Ella removed her shirt and felt through her braids. The bleeding had stopped and Ella looked at her shirt. It was cover with blood and not just a little. "Don't think you could clean this too?" Ella asked Gandalf looking at her shirt. He shook his head. "Didn't think so." Ella said soft. "Lets hope that I can wash it out. Think that there's a chance that there are any drycleaners in Erebor?" Ella asked the others as she pulled her blood shirt over her head again. Fili looked at her with a brow raised in confusion. Ella sighed. "Never mind." Ella placed her sword around her belt and her ax on her back.

Ella kept looking down at her shirt as the others had placed themselves on top of the boulder. Ella's shirt kept sticking against her body and no matter what she would do it just kept on sticking back. Fili walked over to the obvious troubled and stressed girl and placed himself next to her. "Are you alright?" He asked laughing. Ella just looked at him. "Well let's see…" Ella started. "In the last forty-eight hours we have left Rivendell, been in a thunder battle with stone giants, I thought you almost died. Then we were chaste by goblins and you had a mini battle with the orcs as my hair went all avatar on me, we can't forget that Thorin almost died and then we flew away on giant birds!" Ella said quickly with eyes were wide. "Of course I'm fine!" She said dramatically. "And of course with the Lonely Mountain being, oh so close, the birds decided to drop us off on top of a giant rock in the middle of nowhere, instead of flying us the last couple of miles!" "Ella calm down." Fili laughed. "Just breath in and out." Ella ignored Fili and just kept rattling on. "And of course we also have to fight a bloody dragon!" "Ella would you stop talking?" Fili asked with a smile. "Why are you smiling?" Ella was obviously not okay. "It's not funny. Do you know how much we have been through these last couple of weeks?" Kili and George came running over. "When I said that I was going on an adventure I didn't expect this!" Fili, Kili George were now laughing at Ella. "Stop it!" Ella shouted. She didn't think that this was funny at all. "I have met every single creature I can think of. Dwarves, hobbits, wizards, trolls, wargs, orcs, giants, goblins and giant birds but please to tell me that there are werewolves and vampires here because then I'm gonna start crying!"

Fili placed a hand on Ella's shoulder pulling her close. Ella let out a long and stressful breath rubbing her face. "I need a soda." She softly said. Fili placed a kiss on her head. "What you need is to calm down." "Don't tell me what to do!" Ella said pulling back a bit. "I am a woman with issues! I need some M&M's." Fili put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer again. Ella put her head in her hands. "I really have a problem." She said looking at Fili. "Don't worry princess." Kili said with a smirk on his face. "We all ready know that." Every last person was now laughing at Ella. "I am not a princess!" Ella shouted and rolled her eyes "Why, in the name of Durin, does everybody have to keep calling me that?!"

**Okay… So I know that it's another short chapter and again I'm sorry but the movie is done and I have no clue. Hopefully I'll get the book soon and I'll write more :3**

**But don't worry! This isn't the end of the story! I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise. And if I won't get the book with my birthday then I'll figure something out. THIS IS NOT THE END :3**

Please review or comment or what ever. Even if you have suggestions on what I should do next or about what will happen next in the story please let me know :3

**XxX**


	22. Nightmare

It wasn't long after Ella's mental breakdown the giant birds returned with food and wood. The sun was going down and the dwarves had set up camp the best they could.

"Ella?" Bombur asked as he walked up to her. "Would you like to help me prepare dinner?"

Ella gave the fat dwarf a soft smile. "Sure, what do you need me to do?"

Bombur handed Ella a lamb, that the birds had brought, and a knife.

"If you would like to skin it, then we could start roasting it."

"What?!" Ella shouted. She could feel herself breaking down again. "Are you mentally ill?! I can't do that? First of all I don't know how! And secondly I am not killing a innocent lamb!"

"It's already dead." Kili said from behind her.

"Thank you, captain obvious." She said sarcastically, turning around. "I hadn't noticed that yet!" Ella stretched out her arms and waited for Bombur to take it back. "You can ask me to do anything but I will NOT skin a poor animal when it stares at me with its dead puppy eyes."

Bombur took it back with a chuckle and skinned the animal in front of Ella. Ella covered her eyes and turned around.

"Oh my God! That is just evil!" She said. "George don't look!" She said covering her ears as she heard the knife go through the animals skin.

George didn't listen. He sat next to Bombur and just looked. He thought that it was fascinating. "Can I try?" He asked Bombur.

"But of course you can, master George." Bombur answered overjoyed.

"I am surrounded by barbarians!" Ella said to herself. Ella walked toward Fili who was sitting on the end of the rock watching the lonely mountain. Ella still had her hands over her ears until she thought that she was at a safe distance.

Ella placed herself next to Fili and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm surrounded my barbarians." Ella stated.

She took Fili's hand and started playing around with the rings on his fingers. Fili just kept watching the mountain. He didn't laugh or smile at what ella just had said. "What's troubling you?" Ella asked after a couple of minutes when she noticed that he didn't react to her words.

Fili turned his head and looked at her. "Nothing." He said.

"Liar." Ella said joking. "I have never seen that face on you before. So I know that there is something wrong."

Fili said nothing.

"Fine. Don't tell me." Ella said. She left go of Fili's hand and stood up but before she left go of his hand Fili pulled her back.

"It's about Thorin, isn't it?" Ella said looking down at their hands.

"I thought he died." Fili said soft almost in a whisper looking down. "I'm his heir. I'm not ready to take his responsibilities yet. I can't have him die."

"Hey, it's okay." Ella hushed him and lifted his chin. "He won't die. He's Thorin." Ella wiped away a tear that was running down his cheek. "He's too stubborn to die." Ella joked and a small smile came from Fili.

"You're right." He said a bit stronger taking a deep breath. He kissed her cheek and gave her a hug.

"I'm always right." Ella said with a smile and kissed him.

"Dinner!" Bombur shouted.

"Finally!" Ella said dramatically throwing her hands in the air. "I'm starving!"

Fili chuckled and shook his head. "No you're just hungry." He laughed.

"Don't you start saying the Africa thing." Ella said while she helped him up. "I have been through a lot too you know."

"Ella, what are you taking about?" Fili said smiling. "You make no sense."

"Do I ever?" Ella laughed and walked up towards Bombur. Bombur handed her a leaf with some meat and she placed herself next to George.

**XxX**

Everybody was laughing and eating. The lamb was actually pretty good.

"Get some rest." Thorin said. "You will need all your strength tomorrow."

"Rest?" Ella said. "How can we get any rest? We have no sleeping bags or blankets or anything really and sleeping on rock is not good for you." Ella said as she cracked her back and neck. "No wait let me rephrase that; this whole JOURNEY is bad for you!" T

horin rolled his eyes at the girl. "Just be quiet and go to sleep." He said a bit irritated.

"George, you were right." Kili said to the little man next to him.

"About what?" George asked Kili. "About your sister." George didn't understand.

"When we were in Bag End. You said that you should ride with me because Ella would torture me with her talking. Remember that?"

George thought for a second and nodded.

"You were right. This is torture." Kili joked looking at Ella and George just laughed.

"I told you!"

"Kili! Don't make me braid you hair again." Ella said and tried to get comfortable on the hard rock beneath her. "And you heard Thorin. Shut up!"

"He never said that." Kili argued.

"No." Ella said. "But that's what he meant, you doofus. So go to bed or sleep or whatever you want to call it." Ella said pulling Fili's arm around her waist and closed her eyes. "Now sleep!"

Ella heard Kili whispering something to George. Ella kicked him in the back.

"Aw!" Kili shouted. "What was that for?!"

Shushing sounds and soft chuckles came from the other dwarves.

"Just do as she says." Fili said to Kili. "I don't want Ella kicking you over the edge."

"She wouldn't!" Kili shouted almost in a whisper.

"I dare you to say that again." Ella mumbled with her eyes closed. No sound came from Kili. "That's what I thought." Ella mumbled and she fell asleep a few minutes later.

**XxX**

_Ella twisted and turned. A buzzing sound finally woke her up. _

_"Stupid dwarves." Ella mumbled as she pulled the covers over her head. "KILI! It's to early! Shut up!" Ella shouted but the sound didn't stop. "Thorin told you to shut up! So go to sleep!" _

_The sound didn't stop. Ella threw the covers off of her and walked toward the door almost breaking it down. She quickly stomped her way down the stairs. _

_"Kili I told you that I would kick you off of the boulder if you wouldn't shut up so I hope that you have a parachute tied to your ass!" Ella stomped into the kitchen towards the sound. "You son of a-!" Ella froze as she saw her mother standing next to the blender. _

"_Good morning sweetheart." Her mother said with a smile. "Would you like a smoothie?" _

_Ella's eyes widened._

"_Mother?" Ella asked not believing what she saw. _

"_Oh please honey. Don't call me that. It makes me sound so old." Ella's mother gave her a smile. "What's wrong, sweetheart? You look like you've seen a ghost." _

_Ella rubbed her face and put a hand in her hair. Ella jumped up with a fright. _

"_My hair…" Ella said soft looking at her mother. "My hair. What happened to my hair?!"_

"_Ella what are you talking about?" Her mother asked concerned. _

"_My hair mother, look at it! It's short!" _

"_Well of course it is. You've had your hair like that since you were ten." _

"_Where am I? Where is everybody? What in Durin's name is going on?!" Ella turned in circles looking for the dwarves. "George? Fili?! Kili?! Thorin?! Where are you?! What did you do to them witch?!" Ella growled. "Where is George?! What did you do to him?! I demand to know NOW!" _

"_Ella what is wrong with you? Why don't we just sit down for a moment and have a cup of tea? It will help you calm down." Ella's mother walked closer and grabbed Ella's arm. _

_Ella quickly pulled back as she was being pulled closer to the bar. "Let go of me, you witch!" Ella ran towards to the knife block on the counter and pulled out a knife. _

"_Now tell me what you did with George or I will cut your throat and hunt your kin down, one by one!" _

_Ella held the knife defensive in front of her. _

"_Ella why don't you put that knife down, okay sweetie?" Her mother said calm walking closer to Ella. _

"_One step closer and I'll kill you!" Ella shifted the knife in her hand. "Now tell me what happened to George!" _

"_Ella calm down and put the knife away." Her mother said. _

"_NO!" Ella shouted. "Not until you tell me what happened!" _

"_Oh sweetie. You don't remember?" Her mother said soft. Ella still stood with the knife in her hands. "George died in the car crash that you had two months ago. When he died your father let you stay with me, here, until you would feel better again."_

"_No! You're lying!" Ella shouted tears entering her eyes. "That was a dream! They told me that it was a dream!"_

_Ella fell to her knees dropping the knife. Her mother quickly moved to her and held her close. Ella couldn't hold her tears._

"_It was a dream." Ella whispered soft. "He said that it was a dream."_

_Ella's mother held her close and rubbed her back. "Who did, sweetheart?"_

_"Fili of course! Who else?!" Ella shouted. "He would never lie to me." She cried._

"_Who's Fili?" Her mother asked._

"_Fili! You know, the heir to Thorin king under the mountain, son of Dis and brother to Kili!" Ella said. "I spent the last two weeks with him and twelve other dwarves, Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey!"_

_"Ella, there are no such things as dwarves." Her mother said with a smile looking her in the eyes._

"_Yes there are!" Ella pushed herself out of her mothers grip. "We were on our journey to reclaim Erebor! Elrond said that I was supposed to help them on their journey."_

"_Have you been watching the Lord of the Ring-movies again, haven't you?"_

"_What?! No!" Ella stated. _

"_You went with that boy to the movies to watch The Hobbit, didn't you?!" Ella's mother raised her voice. Ella went silent._

"_Damn it, Ella! Your father warned you about that kid!" Ella's mother exclaimed. "I knew that I should have taken you back to Los Angels! That boy is nothing but bad news! Look what he has done! He's messing with you head sweetheart!"_

"_Mother who are you talking about?!" Ella shouted back._

"_That boy Dean O'… something!"_

"_Dean?! Dean is not a bad guy!" Ella protested. "And I haven't even spoke to him since I woke up at Bilbo's place! I have hardly even thought about him since Fili and I courted!"_

"_Ella! You need to stop this nonsense! It's all been a bad dream, sweetie." Ella's mother placed her hand against Ella's cheek._

"_No! Your wrong!" Ella shouted and picked up the knife. "It's not a dream!"_

_Ella struggled to her feet. "It is NOT a dream and George is ALIVE! He was with ME when we fell asleep. He was with ME when the goblins attacked us. He was with ME when were rescued by giant bird and I know that HE was with Bombur when Bombur taught him how to skin that poor lamb!"  
Ella's mother rose to her feet.  
"Get away from me witch!" Ella shouted.  
Her mother tried to grab her arm again but Ella ran upstairs to her room. She kicked in her door and looked around. _

_Ella turned her whole room upside down. She looked under her bed, pillows and under her blanket and mattress. She looked in every drawer; throwing all her clothes out of the closet. She looked over her desk; everything that was on top was now upside down. _

_Ella started to panic. "George?! GEORGE!?"_

_Ella saw a truck driving towards them. George was beside her. "GEORGE!" Ella shouted but the truck crashed into Ella's blue Volvo._

_Ella saw nothing and heard nothing, only darkness and silence._

Ella gasped for air and jumped up. She was breathing so hard that every time she inhaled, you could hear a small squealing sound. Tears were running down her face.

"Ella." A soft and tired voice whispered. Ella turned around saw Fili lying down looking up at her. "Are you alright, love?" He asked a bit concerned.

Ella dropped herself on top of him and started crying into his chest. Fili pushed himself into sitting position and pulled Ella close."Nightmare again?" Ella just nodded as the tears kept flowing down her face. "Would you like to tell me what it was about?" He asked.

Ella took a deep breath. "I was at home." She said with tears still rolling down her cheek and her throat was tight. "I heard a sound and I thought it was Kili but it wasn't. It was my mother. She was standing in the kitchen. There was only her. I couldn't find you or anybody else, not even George." Ella took another breath and more tears were coming. Fili rocked her a little and stroked her hair. "She didn't what to tell me where he was or what happened to him. She didn't know who you were. She didn't know anything. So I told her but she didn't believe me. She kept telling me that it was a dream, that none of it was real. She said that George was dead. She said that he had died in the car crash!" Ella cried. "I'm just so scared that I'm gonna lose him."

Fili pulled her closer against his chest. "You won't lose him." Fili said soft into her hair and kissed her head. "He might be small but he has learned a great deal." Ella looked up. "He has become a great fighter." Fili said with a smile. "You underestimate him to much."

Ella left out a sigh and fell against Fili's chest again.

"We should try to get some more rest." Fili said. "First light will shine upon us in a few hours." Ella nodded and Fili wiped away her tears. "Come on then." Fili said as he lay down. He lifted one arm and waited for Ella to place herself next to him. Ella quickly lied down and Fili wrapped his arm protectively around her. "I wont leave you Ella." He said in her hair and she fell asleep. "That's my girl." Fili whispered before falling asleep himself.

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter!  
I didn't mean for Ella's nightmare to be so long but once I started I couldn't stop writing. Hehehe, silly me ;3**

**I'm not done with the book yet but I just couldn't wait anymore! I just had to update!  
**

**Comment, review, follow or favorite :3  
More to come soon!**


	23. Hrpmgh!

"Alright everybody! Up!"

Ella let out a grunt as she heard Thorin's voice and she pulled Fili's arm tighter around her side.

"Ella get up." Thorin ordered but Ella kept her eyes shut and tried to fall asleep again.

"Just a few more minutes." She waved.

"ELLA!"

Ella sighed at Thorin shouting her name. "You'll have to ask me nicely." She mumbled with a smile on her face. She knew that it was to early in the morning to be annoying but she couldn't help herself.

"Will you get up?" Thorin asked as nice as he could while he tried to stay calm.

"Magic word?" She mumbled as she let go of Fili's arm a little.

"What?" Thorin questioned.

"The magic word. You have to say it."

Thorin raised a brow.

"You have to say please." George whispered to Thorin pulling Thorin's sleeve.

"Don't be so childish Ella." Thorin said annoyed.

"I won't get up and I won't let go of Fili until you say the word." Ella pulled Fili closer again and rolled on her chest taking Fili with her.

"Uncle!" He yelped as Ella turned.

He was now lying with his chest against her back and his arm was now trapped under her body. Fili tried to pull his arm out but Ella had a tight grip around it. Fili looked up at his uncle. "Ella would you please let me go?" Fili asked with his sweetest voice and kissed her neck.

"No." Ella mumbled still with her eyes closed. "Not until Thorin asks me nicely."

Fili's dropped his head on Ella's back. Thorin rolled his eyes, took a deep breath and he pinched to bridge of his nose.

"Ella will you please get up?" He sighed.

He didn't have time for this childish behavior. Ella let go of Fili and jumped to her feet.

"There you go. Was that really so hard to ask?" Ella asked the king teasingly. Thorin clearly had had enough of her. "Now how do we get down from this thing?"

Everybody pointed at the steps on the side of the boulder. "Holy shit!" Ella said. "Those steps are just as high as we are tall and it's gonna take us forever to get down! And what about breakfast?! We can't just-"

"I suggest you to be quiet." Thorin growled softly. "Or you will get down faster than you can think."

"You aren't really a morning person, are y-hrpmgh!"

Fili quickly covered Ella's mouth when he saw that his uncle was serious.

Ella rolled her eyes and licked Fili's hand. "Erg!" Fili said as he wiped his hand on his jacket.

"Then don't put your hand in front of my mouth!" Ella said. "You really need to wash you hands though." Ella said as she cleaned her tongue with her sleeve.

"Ella do as your told or I will bind your mouth shut!" Thorin said and he gave her a serious look. "Not a word until we are down on the ground again. Understood?"

"Oh come on." Ella said dramatically. "You know that that is im-hrpmgh!"

Kili had ripped a piece from his shirt and tried it around Ella's mouth. "And again you were right." Kili said to George.

Thorin chuckled at his nephew's reaction and gave him a thankful nod. Kili tied it as tight a he could without hurting Ella too much. "Thank you Kili." Thorin said jumping down the first couple of steps.

"Hrpmgh! Hrpmgh hfm hrpmghen!"

"Try to take it off and I will have your hands bound and we will carry you down." Thorin said. Of course Ella didn't listen and grabbed her dagger from under her bloody shirt.

As she raised her knife towards the gag Fili grabbed her wrist. He flicked it and Ella dropped the knife. Fili quickly ripped a piece of his shirt like his brother and he quickly bound Ella's hands together behind her back. When that was done threw her over his shoulder.

"Don't worry love." He said trying to calm her down as she tried to wiggle and kick her way loose. "It's for our own safety! You'll thank me for it later." He laughed and everybody laughed with him.

"Finally the lad has gotten some wisdom!" Balin laughed as he walked passed Fili and jumped down the steps.

"Thank Aulë!" Bofur cried dramatically and hugged Fili. "I though she would never shut up! Don't worry lass." Bofur said letting go of Fili and patted Ella's head. "We will be down before you can say…" Bofur thought for a second. "Um… Well nothing really." He laughed.

Ella stared at him with a look that could kill him. "Hrpmgh hghtm frhfdng drabbjm! Iphm gohaghr kll ugh!" Ella screamed kicking her legs.

_They are so dead! _She thought. _This is not over! _

_"_What did I tell you, our princess is a real fighter." Dwalin joked as he started jumping down the stairs behind Thorin and Balin.

Fili felt Ella growl in hatred and she started kicking once more."Please forgive me." Fili said with a chuckle and he tossed Ella down to Dwalin. Ella let out a small yelp as she landed in Dwalin's arms.

"Told you she would torture you!" George said laughing as Fili and Kili helped him down the steps. "If it wasn't for that gag our ears would be bleeding by the end of the day!" Ella sent George a look that told him to shut up but George just laughed.

Dwalin tossed Ella to Thorin. Again Ella yelped as she now landed in Thorin's arms.

"Do not challenge me again." He said firm. "I always win in the end."

There was a sound of victory in his voice and he had a mischievous look in his eyes. Ella didn't like it and started kicking again. The dwarves past them and they were now in the very back. Ella was tossed from Thorin to Oin, from Oin to Gloin, from Gloin to Bifor and so on and so on. Even Bilbo and Gandalf had joined the dwarves in tossing her around.

They all had the time of their lives tossing Ella around but Ella felt sick in the end. Being tossed around really wasn't good for her, at least not for a day. Rollercoasters and rides were a totally different story. Ella kept struggling. There was no way in this earth that she would surrender to a couple of men.

_I'm not giving in! _She would not give up screaming and kicking until they were on the ground.

Once on the ground, Fili caught her and threw her over his shoulder again.

"Hrpmgh!" Ella screamed and kicked he foot in the air. They were on the ground and Ella expected the dwarves to remove the gag but they didn't. "Hrpmgh! Hrpmgh!" She screamed again staring angrily at Fili's back.

"Don't be foolish, Ella!" Fili laughed at the sound of Ella screaming. He knew exactly what she was saying. "If we do that then I fear that you will be the end of all of us."

Ella just hung her head and stopped struggling. All that movement and screaming had exhausted her. She knew that the dwarves wouldn't remove that gag for a while and she slowly fell asleep.

Ella woke up as she felt that she was being tossed again. But she screamed when she wasn't caught by anyone a second later. A large splash sounded and Ella gasped for air. She was soaking wet. The dwarves had tossed her into a river.

"Good morning sunshine!" Kili said sarcastically and laughed.

Ella pushed her hair from face and gave the dwarves her death-stare.

"You bastards!" Ella shouted and got up on her feet but being tossed down and around for hours had messed with her balance and she fell into the water again. The dwarves, hobbit and wizard couldn't hold their laughs.

"Get yourself washed and get ready to continue again." Thorin chuckled and left.

"We'll be on the other side of the trees, my dear." Gandalf smiled. "You have half an hour." And with that everybody left.

Ella lifted her legs from the water and pulled of her soaking wet boots and threw them toward the bank.

"Stupid dwarves." Ella said to herself as she took of her shirt and legging. She hesitated a moment looking at her bra but she took it off as well. They wouldn't see anyway but she did keep her underwear on. She washed the dirt and goblin blood from her body. Ella looked at her wrist. There were red marking on them from struggling against the hold of the dwarves and somehow she was proud of that. She looked at her leg and it was now more green then blue. She sighed in relief and she looked at the scar that was on her left hip. She slowly ran her fingers across it. She didn't know where it was from, maybe from the car crash.

"ELLA!" She heard Thorin shout from the others side of the trees. She snapped out of her thoughts. "We leave in five minutes! Get yourself ready!"

"But my clothes are soaking wet!" Ella shouted back. "I don't have any spare clothes! You dofus." She added softly.

Suddenly 13 coats came flying through the trees and over the bushes.

"Hurry UP!" Came the order. Ella sighed and stepped out of the water and covered her chest. She looked at the coats laying on the grass and her eye quickly spotted Fili's dark coat. Ella quickly pulled it around her, she loved the soft fur collar and for a moment she snuggle herself into it. The coat was a little too big for her and she quickly took her wet leather belt and strapped it above her waist. Ella looked at her wet clothes and she quickly took of the coat again and put on her bra.

"Can't leave without that." She mumbled to herself and pulled Fili's jacket on again and placed everything in the place were it should be.

She pulled her hair back over her shoulders. Even though her hair was braided it still fell just above her waist. The only braid that was aloud to hang over her shoulder was the braid with Fili's bead on it. She placed her weapons on her back and in her belt and Ella quickly picked up her soaking wet clothes and boots and stepped through the trees.

"Alright! Grab your stuff everyone." Thorin said. "Let's get moving!"

Before Ella could shout at them they were already steps in front of her. "Bastards." She said under her breath and followed.

Ella walked in the back. She wasn't in the mood for walking beside any of them or even to talk.

"Ella!" Thorin shouted from the front. "Pick up your pace! I don't want you slowing us down!"

Ella said nothing but growled in silence. _If he gives me one more fucking order in the next hour I am going to kick his royal ass back to goblins! _Ella was awakened from her ass-kicking-thoughts when she felt someone grabbing her hand. It was her little brother George.

"Heya!" He said with a smile looking up at her. Ella felt her anger drift away.

"Hey baby boy! You look clean." Ella smiled at him ruffling his hair. "Found a bath with rainbows and unicorns did we now?"

"No…" George laughed. "We jumped into the water when you were sleeping."

"Aha." Ella said. "Well you forgot a spot." Ella joked.

"Where?"

"Right here!" Ella laughed as she lifted George upside down and started tickling in his side. George screamed laughing kicking his feet in the air.

"I can't breath!" He laughed and Ella slowly put him down on the ground. George hugged Ella's leg and she almost fell when George sat on top of her foot.

"You're not going to make it easy for me today, are you?" She asked George with a smile. He just shook his head and giggled as Ella swung her leg forward. Ella stopped after a couple of steps. It was a lot of fun when he was two but that was a long time ago.

"Don't stop!" George chuckled shaking Ella's leg. "Again again!"

"But you're to heavy!" Ella tried to catch her breath. "You aren't two anymore."

"But I'm bored! Can we play another game then?" George asked with his big blue puppy eyes.

Ella just sighed and laughed.

"Please? Pretty please? Pretty, pretty please." He said shaking her leg.

Ella thought for a second and gave in. She hadn't really played or spent a lot of time with George since they came to Middle Earth. "Alright then!" She said smiling. "What do you want to-"

"Tag, your it!" George shouted letting go of her leg and ran away.

Ella giggled and handed her still soaked clothes to Bombur before running after him. George ran between and under everybody's legs.

"That's cheating!" Ella giggled as she tried to catch him but he somehow kept slipping away from her.

George ran screaming to Fili and Kili, who were walking behind Gandalf and Thorin. "Help!" He laughed when he saw Ella running after him. "Kili help!" George grabbed Kili and used him as a shield. "The dragon is coming after me!"

Kili turned around and saw Ella running towards him. He decided to play along and slapped Fili's arm causing his brother to turn around as well.

"My fellow knight!" He started and looked at Fili. "We have to save the young king from the dragon! We must fight her!" Kili said to his brother and gave George a wink.

"That we must!" Fili said playfully. "You must flee my king! We will protect you!"

"Thank you, my dear knights!" George said with a deep voice trying to sound like a real king or more like Thorin really. "Your lives will be honored!" George said bowing before running past Thorin and Gandalf, who were now at least ten yards in front of them.

Fili and Kili ran up to Ella and grabbed her arms and legs, placing her slowly on the ground and placed their feet on top of her.

"We have slain the dragon!" They cried in victory causing everybody to laugh including Ella. Ella pushed off their feet and jumped up causing the two 'knights' to stumble backwards and fall.

"You are forgetting, fair knights, a dragon like me is not easily slain!" Ella laughed patting their heads and ran after George again.

As Ella ran further up the path she stopped. She couldn't see George as she quickly caught her breath. She turned around to see the others but they were far behind her. Ella looked around again but George was nowhere to be seen.

"George?!" She shouted. "George where are you?"

Ella felt a small panic rise in her.

"Ella!" She heard George shout in a distance. "Come and see what I have found!"

Ella ran towards George's laughing voice.

"Where are you?!" she questioned as she ran through some bushes.

"Over here!" George's voice grew louder as Ella came closer. Ella suddenly saw George in the distance on a green field.

He was playing and jumping with a figure just as tall as him but at least twice as wide as him. As Ella walked closer she saw that it was a bear cub. Ella let out a giggle but that disappeared rather quickly. Ella froze as she saw a bigger bear running towards George.

"George look out!" She yelled as she sprinted to him. George looked up and saw the mother bear charging for him. George instantly ran away and towards his sister.

Ella quickly grabbed his hand and together they turned around running back towards to company again but they weren't fast enough. Ella drew her sword as she felt the mother bear's breath in her neck. Before Ella could turn around she felt a flashing pain in her back and flew through the air hitting her head against a tree causing her to fall unconscious.

**Hope you enjoyed!**

P.S. The updates probably won't be as often as I would like because I haven't finished the book yet but I'll try to do my best to find time to right chapters between school and work and other stuff. :3

Keep reading!  
I'll update as soon as possible!

**Love KneelingAngel XxX**


	24. Stay With Me?

_Previous! _

_Before Ella could turn around she felt a flashing pain in her back and flew through the air hitting her head against a tree causing her to fall unconscious. _

Ella opened her eyes. She was in a dark room that was lid by a small candle. She was laying on her stomach in a bed made out of hay and had a woolen blanket over her legs. Ella noticed that she wasn't wearing clothes over her torso. Ella felt a sting of pain in her back as she tried to get up she saw that she had been bandaged over her chest and back. She hissed in pain and she felt a hand on her shoulder softly pushing her down.

"You have to stay down lass." A voice said. Ella turned her head and saw Oin sitting next to her. He gave her a small smile. "You injured yourself pretty bad."

Ella let out a soft groan and placed herself back on the bed.

"What happened?" She asked rubbing her head. "Where are we?"

"We are at Beorn's house."

"Who?" Ella shook her head confused.

"He is a skin-changer Gandalf knew."

"Skin changer?!" Ella panicked a little. "You mean like a werewolf?!"

"Ella calm down." Oin said pushing her down again. "He is not a werewolf." He laughed. "He is a skin-changer so he changes himself into a black bear. But you must stay down! Your back needs healing."

"Bear?!" Ella remembered what happened. "Where is George?!"

"Ella calm down!" Oin pinned Ella down and she let out a small scream in pain. "Sorry lass but you need to stay down! George is fine he's still in one piece."

"But the bear! There was a bear charging at us!"

"Yes but George was not hurt, Thorin saved him after you were attacked and had fallen unconscious. Turned out the mother bear was only trying to protect her child." Oin said.

"Thorin?" Ella asked. "Thorin saved George?!"

Oin nodded his head. Ella jumped up; ignoring the pain in her back she threw her blanket over Oin's head and ran towards the door.

"Lass! Wait!"

Ella stopped right in front of the door. "What is it?!" She asked in a hurry.

"Maybe you should put something on first." Oin said. Ella looked down she was only wearing her underwear and the bandage around her torso. Ella quickly grabbed for her now dry legging and pulled it on while walking in the hallway.

Once Ella had her legging on she ran as fast as she could towards the voices. The dwarves and hobbit were sitting around a table. Ella spotted Thorin sitting on the end of the table his back turned towards her. Ella ran for him and as she hugged him but she knocked him from his chair.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Ella kept saying to him.

For a moment Thorin was stunned but then he realized that it was Ella hugging him. A small smile grew upon his face and he was pretty sure that he heard a couple of 'awwwws' from the others.

"I'm sorry that I didn't listen! I'm sorry I didn't shut up when you asked me to. I'm sorry that we went running off without any of you again!" Ella said a bit to quick for everybody to understand everything "Oh and thank you for saving us AGAIN!" She said dramatically. "I'm sorry for everything daddy." She whispered tears running down her cheek. "I'll listen! I promise!" She cried soft. "It won't happen again."

Thorin didn't know what to say to her. He was startled by her words or one word actually.

"Where's the lass?" Oin asked everyone when he finally walked into the room. The dwarves smiled and pointed towards the floor where Ella and Thorin were sitting.

"Ella you may let go of me now." Thorin smiled.

"Sorry I can't." She sniffed. "It hurts to much."

Oin bend down and tried to help Ella up but she let out a small scream in pain. Thorin stood up from the ground and helped Oin with her. Ella let out a groan and bit back any more tears. They carefully placed her on a chair while Oin had another look at her back. The bandages were red from the blood.

"Your wound opened." He said concerned. "You need to lay down."

"But I can't I need to put George to bed."

"He's already sleeping." Kili smiled.

"What? How did you guys manage to do that?" Ella raised a brow. "Ow!" She shouted as Oin touched around her wound.

"Ella you really need to go back to bed." He said concerned.

"You must listen to him." Thorin said.

"Tell me later?" Ella asked Kili. "I don't think you want to know but fine, later." He smirked. Ella just shook her head and was helped up by Oin.

"Fili." Oin said. "Would you grab some new bandages? Beorn put some extra in the corner over there." He pointed at a small table in the right corner behind them. Fili quickly jumped to his feet almost running grabbing the bandages as he followed Ella and Oin out.

"Goodnight guys!" Ella waved.

"Goodnight Ella!" They all shouted back.

**XxX**

Fili and Oin carefully placed Ella on her bed. Oin carefully started to remove the bandages but Ella still hissed in pain and he stopped.

"Fili you may go back to the others." Oin said. He knew that he would need to replace the bandage and he didn't want to expose the poor girl. Fili looked concerned at Ella and Oin sighed. He knew that Fili wouldn't leave her. "Go wait outside the door then."

"Oin, please..."

"No master dwarf, you will have to wait outside until I'm done! She is fragile enough." Fili knew that Oin was right. He nodded his head and walked out the door put gave Ella one last look. "I will call for you when you may see her." Oin said firm and Fili closed the door.

When Fili was gone Oin removed the bandage. "How bad is it Doc?" Ella asked.

"It could have been worse." Oin said concerned.

"What does it look like?" Ella asked curious.

"Like a bear attack." Oin chuckled. "She caught you pretty bad. You have a graze from just above the left side of your lower back to your right shoulder blade. So try not to move that right arm of yours until you have healed."

Ella sighed into her pillow.

"I also noticed a scar on you left hip."

"Oh right." Ella said. "I had forgotten about that one."

"How did you get it?" Oin asked curious but concerned.

"I think it happened when we had the car crash back home." Ella told him what happened that night but she didn't feel sad when she told the story. She didn't feel any emotions about what happened back then only regret. Regretting taking George with her. "Maybe the seatbelt caught my hip but I'm not totally sure."

Oin taped Ella back in and ordered her to stay in her bed and on her stomach. "Don't lay on your back!" He said and walked towards the door. "I will check on your wound again in the morning."

Ella gave him a small nod and dropped her head on the pillow. "Wait Oin!" She quickly shouted. "Could you please turn on a light or lid a candle? I have this feeling that I won't get comfortable anytime soon." She smiled. Oin nodded and lid a candle and placed it beside her.

"Thanks Doc!" She shouted after Oin as he left the room.

Ella sighed and she felt her eyes getting heavy. Ella twisted and turned trying to get comfortable but nothing seemed to work. For her there was nothing worse them sleeping on her stomach but every time she tried to turn her back screamed in pain and sleep wouldn't come the way she wanted.

**XxX**

Ella heard a soft knock on the door. She turned her head and she could see Fili's head through the door crack.

"Hey." He said soft. "Still awake?"

"Yeah, I can't get comfortable. My back hurts to much." Ella tried to turn and face Fili but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Oin said that you needed to stay down." He smiled.

"I know." She sighed. "Why are you still up?" She asked him."

"I had to check on my girl, didn't I?" Fili said sitting on his knees next to the bed holding her hand. "Can't blame a dwarf for being concerned."

Ella placed her hand on his cheek and caressed the side of his face with her thumb. "You worry to much." She said with a smile. "Oin said that as long that I would stay in bed and rest that the wound would close up soon."

Fili chuckled.

"What?" Ella asked him. "What's so funny?"

"The facts that you sound like you're actually going to listen for once." He said with a smile on his face.

"Well it's not like I can do anything else right now!" Ella pointed out. "I can't even fall asleep with this pain!"

Fili leaned into her hand and kissed it. "You really talk to much."

"No shit Sherlock!" She said out loud. "I'm a woman that's what we do. And after being gagged, tied and tossed around for a hole day I think I deserve to talk for once."

Fili just stared at her while she kept mumbling on.

"I am so tired." She finally said with her hand in her hair.

"Try and get some sleep then." Fili said kissing her head. "You'll need it."

"Wait!" Ella said when he turned towards the door and held the doorknob. "Will you stay and sleep with me?" She asked sweetly.

"I think that Thorin would find that quit inappropriate." He said turning around.

"Please?" Ella asked with puppy eyes. "I don't want to sleep alone."

Fili shook his head looking at the ground with a smile on his face. He knew that she eventually would get what she wanted.

"Just this once." He said pointing his finger.

"Just this once." Ella repeated. "Thorin won't mind this once, would he?" Ella asked as Fili placed himself next to her.

"I'm not sure." Fili said playing with one of her braids and Ella laid her head on his chest. "I mean he is my uncle." Fili said with a smile. "I know but it's not we haven't slept beside each other when we were camping." Ella smirked and pulled on his collar.

**XxX**

"What?" He asked as Ella looked up at him.

"Are you going to tell me how Kili got George to bed?"

"Kili said that he would tell you later." Fili mumbled trying to fall asleep.

"But it is later and you were there too and I won't wait on Kili 'till he crawls into my bed." She joked.

Fili let out a grunt. "I'd like to see him try." He mumbled opening his eyes just a little. Ella had her eyes locked on him and he sighed.

"If you tell me I'll go to sleep otherwise I'll just keep you up all night." She giggled.

"Alright then but you have to promise me that you will go to sleep after."

"Cross my heart." Ella laughed and drew a cross in the air with her finger.

"Well," Fili started taking a deep breath readying himself for the long story. "The unicorns put him to bed. There the end, now go to sleep." He said quickly.

"There are no such things as unicorns, so ha-ha very funny!" She said sarcastic. "Now tell me."

"Can't we just go to sleep?" He complained. "Carrying you around all morning was a lot tougher then it seemed."

"Oh I'm sure it was. And I hope it did! That's the least what you deserved." Ella laughed. "Thanks for letting me borrow you jacket, by the way."

"You're welcome." He smiled and kissed her head. "Sorry for tying you up."

"That you should be." Ella said a bit serious but smiled. "But don't do it again."

"I can't promise anything." He joked.

They were quiet for a moment and Fili had almost fallen a sleep but Ella started talking again. "It was a stupid idea to come with, wasn't it?"

Fili opened his eyes and looked down at her.

"After all the trouble I have caused I still can't believe that you guys want me around."

"Where did you get that idea from?" he asked seriously. "We love having you with us, most of the time." He quickly added joking a bit.

"I'm serious Fili." Ella said looking him up in the eyes. "Everything I do seems to end badly."

"Ella don't be ridiculous-"

"Don't deny it." Ella said. "I got caught by men on the first night of the journey when I tried to take care of George. I injured my leg thanks to one of the trolls causing us to slow down our pace and it made us stay longer in Rivendell and now this thing with the bear. You guys have saved my ass so many times!"

"I don't regret taking you with us." Fili said. "You have helped us a great deal too. We killed five criminals thanks to you. We survived the trolls thanks to your quick thinking and Bilbo of course too. You have saved George's life so many times that I've lost count and if you wouldn't have come with then I wouldn't have fallen in love with you. So stop being to hard on yourself and get some rest."

"You love me?" Ella asked with her eyes wide staring up at Fili.

Fili froze for a moment. "Well yes." He said strong. "From the first time I saw you."

Ella painfully placed herself on her elbows and leaned in to kiss Fili. "I love you too." She whispered and leaned in for another kiss. The kiss grew more passionate every second but Ella groaned when Fili wrapped his arms around her back and he pulled back.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked concerned.

"Only a little." She said smiling and ran her fingers up and down his jaw. "Goodnight, my knight in shining armor." She whispered and gave him another kiss.

"Goodnight princess." Fili whispered in her hair as she lay against his chest.

"Jerk." She mumbled and Fili let out a soft chuckle before they fell asleep together.


	25. Good Morning to You Too

Fili was the one to wake first. The early morning sun was shining through the large curtains and on top of Ella's dark brown hair. It had gotten this dark copper golden tint, Fili wonder why he hadn't noticed it before. She looked so beautiful when she was asleep. She looked peaceful and calm. Fili started to think about what it would be like waking up next to her every morning. He would love nothing more then that; he would never wanted to leave bed ever again. The way Ella laid against his chest made him feel safe and loved. Not like the love that his mother, uncle and brother gave him but like the love that only she could give him. He loved her and she loved him. Fili wouldn't let anything change that.

He softly stroked Ella's hand that was on his chest. Her hands were small and soft, unlike most she-dwarves but Ella wasn't a normal dwarf, she was his. She was perfect in her own way. He had to admit that she could be stubborn, protective and make your ears bleed at times but she could also be very fragile and scared and yet she could be the most lovely person al the same. She blamed herself for everything that happened not just to George but to everybody in the company as well. Fili could see it in her eyes from time to time.

Fili remembered the first time he saw her. Ella was lying in the grass with her arms protectively wrapped around George. Twigs and leaves in her messy brown curls and she looked like she had been through a fight. She wore her dark magenta tunic with dark leather trousers, a heavy leather jacket and dark green boots. He remembered Kili looking at him with confusion when he saw the green strip in her hair. They didn't really know what she was either. She was too small to be a human, she had no beard so she couldn't be a dwarf and she had no pointy ears so she was no elf. But in the end the brothers decided that she was a dwarf and they took her and George with them to Bag End.

Ella groaned when she turned her head causing the sun to shine in her eyes. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Fili smiling at her. "Good morning." She mumbled as she pushed her head against his chest. "Morning." He whispered and kissed her head. "Sleep well?" "Hmm." She sighed and it looked like she fell asleep again. Fili sighed when he heard footsteps running their way. The dwarves couldn't just leave the couple alone, could they?

"_Wait George! You can't go in there!"_

"_But I want to see if she is okay." _

Ella slowly forced her eyes open when she heard whispering voices in front of the door. Ella sighed and snuggled back into Fili's chest._ "_It's to early." She mumbled. "Why can't they just let us sleep?"Ella let out a deep breath and Fili softly chuckled while she got comfortable again. She wasn't a morning person unlike Fili.

"_No George stop!" _

"_Ow Kili! Let me go!" _

"_No! Oin said that we should leave her alone." _

"_He didn't say anything to me and she is my sister!" _

"_But you were in the room as well when he gave us the order. So you cannot go in there! The only one who was allowed to go in was Fili."_

Ella covered her head with her left arm trying to ignore the whispering fight outside THEIR door. "Please go away." She mumbled into Fili's chest. He didn't say anything he just softly stroked her arm up and down.

"_What are you two doing?" _A voice shouted outside the door.

"_Shhhhhhhhh!"_

"_Now she gonna wake up!" _

"_Oin ordered us to stay away from her. She needs all the rest she can get! So I suggest that you listen to the healer and let your sister be!" _

"_But we just want to see if she is okay." _

"_You will do no such thing. Now go to the others, there is lunch in five minutes." _

"_No! I won't go anywhere without knowing that Elly is okay!"_

"_George stop being so stubborn and go to the others." _

"_But I want to see Ella!"  
"I know but your sister needs to sleep."  
"Can I just have a small look?"_

"_No."  
"But I need to know if she is OK-HAY!"  
"Why do you have to be so much like your sister?"_

For a couple of seconds there was no sound.  
_"Fine."_

Fili lifted his head when he heard the door open. Ella still had her head against his chest clearly trying to ignore them. "Go away." Ella said not turning her head. She didn't want to know who they were even though she recognized the voices. "It's to early!" "It's almost time for lunch!" Kili said surprised when Ella thought that it was early. "Go away!" Ella said cranky and turned her head. "Out! Before I kick you out!" "But Ella you have to see something really cool!" George said running closer to his sister. Before Thorin could grab him by his shoulder he was already trying to pull his sister out of her bed. "Come on, Ella." George said. "No." Ella said and pushed George away a bit. Ella scooted herself next to Fili, away from her brother on the other side of the bed. _Just when I was comfortable. _Ella though to herself, lying on a cold spot in the bed.

"Fili come on!" George said pulling Fili's arm. "Get your lazy ass out of bed!" George almost pulled Fili out of the bed. Fili had to push his arm against the floor to keep himself from falling. "Alright. Alright." Fili laughed and jumped out of bed. He was only wearing his thin shirt and his trousers and he quickly pulled on his boots but he dropped one when George dragged him to the door.

"Come here you!" Fili said laughing as he held George upside down and tickled him. George was screaming in laughter and kicking up his feet. "Put me down, Fili!" He scream laughed. "Sorry boy." Fili laughed and tickled George even harder. "This is what you get for waking me up." Fili joked and walked out the door with George hanging upside down over his back. "_Oy Kili, can you get my other boot?! It's still in the room." _Kili walked back into the room but he had to duck for the flying boot. "Well good morning to you too." He said with a smirk on his face and quickly grabbed the boot and ran toward his brother again when Ella reached for the candleholder on the nightstand.

"Ella come on." Thorin said. Ella thought that he had gone to but apparently she was wrong. Ella didn't make a sound and pulled her blanket over her head. Two seconds later she heard Thorin's heavy boots walking across the floor towards her. Her woolen blanket was thrown off of her and she tried to curl up in a ball as much as she could without hurting her back. She was so happy that she had a bandage around her torso. "Up!" Thorin said walking away. "Food in five minutes." "No." Ella said grumpy looking up before her shirt was launched into her face. "Five minutes!" She heard Thorin shout with a chuckle in his voice.

"No wait, come back!" She shouted towards the door. Thorin walked back into the room again. "What is it?" He asked soft. "I cn't gt t f bd. Y hv t hlp m p." Ella said into her pillow. "Ella you have to speak up, I can't understand a thing your saying." "I said that I can't get out of bed and you have to help me up." She said raising her head from the pillow. Thorin picked up her blanket as he walked over to Ella and placed in on her bed but Ella quickly pulled in over herself again. "Don't take away my blanket again." She mumbled with a small warning tone in her voice. "Ella you have to get up or you won't sleep tonight." "Do I really have to?" Ella said. "My back is killing me." Thorin sighed and put hand in her hair and held her braids in his hand, just like his mother used to do when he was a young prince and didn't want to get out of bed or when he was sick or injured. Thorin froze at his action and pulled his hand out of her thick braided hair. What was he thinking? _Don't go there. _He thought to himself. "Let's get you up." He cleared his throat awkwardly and pulled blanket away again.

Ella sighed and carefully placed herself on her elbows. Thorin grabbed her by her side and lifted her up. Ella let out a small scream and she bit her lip. Once standing, Thorin help her with getting her shirt on. It was a lot harder then it sounded because of Ella's injured shoulder and back. Once dressed Thorin got a piece of fabric and tied it loosely around her neck so that she could place her arm in it. "Now lets go get some food." He said with a small smile and they walked out of the room.

Ella stopped in the dining room when she saw dogs and horses and sheep setting the table. Ella giggled and jumped up and down when she saw a grey dog standing on his back paws while he was carrying a plate with food. "You can't have one." Thorin said serious. It was like he read her mind. "What? How did you-? Please?" she asked with puppy eyes. "No." "But why?" "I already got my hands full with you." That was the last thing Thorin said to her before he placed himself at the table. Ella said no more and she placed herself next to Fili and Kili.

"And why are you out of your bed?" Oin asked who sat across her. "Your back cannot heal if you walk around all day." "I'm fine Oin." Ella said with her mouth full. "Really I am." "You still did not answer my question." Oin said raising a brow. Ella heard Kili and George snickering beside her. "Why do I have this feeling that you two are a part of the answer I want?" Oin said looking at Kili and George. "Why do we get the blame for it?" Kili said with his hands in the air. "Thorin was there too!" George said sitting in the same position as Kili. Oin looked at Thorin. He was about to say something to Thorin when Ella interrupted him. "Oin! It's fine. I'm awake now so it doesn't matter any more." Oin sighed. "Alright but I want you to finish you food and go back to bed. I will have to check your wound again."

"So you are still here?" Ella quickly turned her head towards the deep voice. "Not eaten by wargs or orcs or wicked bears I see." He looked at Ella. "Do we know who this guy is?" Ella whispered a bit scared in Fili's ear. "It's alright." Fili said leaning into her. "That is Beorn. This is his place." "And I see that the female has awaken too." Beorn said frowning his eyebrows. Ella turned her head to Beorn and gave him a smile. Gandalf stood up and introduced her. "Beorn this is Lady Ella-Ryan, daughter of…?" Gandalf gave Ella a quick look. "David." Ella said. "Daughter of David. Please call me Ella." Ella said standing up with the help of Fili and Kili. "At you service." Ella said with a smile bowing a little.

Gandalf waved to Thorin and Company to leave the room. "Grab your weapons." Thorin said. "Training outside, now." He stood up from the table. "Not you." Thorin said to Ella. Fili grabbed her shoulder and his hand slid down her arm grabbing her hand. "Yell if there is anything. We'll be right outside." He gave her a kiss on her hand and cheek and he left with the others.

Ella started pulling her shirt when the others left the room. This was very uncomfortable. _Stupid habbit! _She thought to herself and looked at her shirt. "How is your back?" Beorn asked with his deep voice. "Alright I guess." Ella said soft shaking her hands. Beorn looked quite scary with his long black hair and his big black beard. "So she is the earthling that you had told me about?" "That she is." Gandalf said with a nod. Even Gandalf had to look up at Beorn. "Are you sure?" Beorn asked the wizard with a brow raised. "She doesn't look like much."


	26. I Cut My Finger, SEE!

**Okay… This chapter is about George because I think Ella could have a break for a chapter. Besides George is part of the story too. :3 Okay well, maybe Ella will pop in once or twice but you guys know what she's like ;) So here's a little Thorin and George bonding moment. Hope you enjoy!"**

"Alright little one." Dwalin said walking up to George who was sitting in the grass. "Time for you to learn how to really fight." "Really?" Dwalin nodded. "Here take my ax." Dwalin handed George his ax but as soon as he let go George fell under the weight of it. Dwalin chuckled, lifted the ax off of George and helped him up. "Maybe we should start with something a little lighter?" George asked as he tried to brush the sand from his legs. Dwalin hit him in the back and George almost tripped over.

"Oy, Dwalin!" Kili came walking up with the usual smirk on his face. "Careful with him. We don't want Ella beheading any of us." "Don't worry Kili." George said pushing his glasses up and smiled. "I'm okay. Dwalin was going to teaching me how to use his ax." "Ha! In your dreams little brother." Kili ruffled his hand in George's hair. "You should learn how to fight with a real weapon like a bow and arrow. You can't call an ax a weapon, it's a tool for lumberjacks." "What?!" Dwalin growled. "Only elves and beardless dwarves use bows!" "Who are you calling an elf?!" "He should learn how to shoot!" "No! He should learn how to swing!"

Kili and Dwalin were face to face and George was stuck between them. "Kili! Dwalin!" Fili came running up. "What's going on?" Fili reached for George's arm and pulled him away. "Are you alright?" George nodded. "What are you fighting about?" Fili asked Kili and Dwalin. "He called me an elf!" Kili shouted. "And you called me a lumberjack!" Dwalin shouted back. "I did not!" Kili snapped. Fili looked down at George hoping to get some answers from him.

"Dwalin wanted to teach me how to use his ax and Kili wanted to teach me how to use a bow. Kili said that an ax wasn't a real weapon and Dwalin said that a bow is for elves." Fili shook his head. "Well they are both right." Fili said smiling at George. "Everybody knows that you can only call a sword a real weapon." "What?!" Dwalin and Kili growled at the same time. Fili soon joined the discussion about weapons and it didn't take long before the others started to join too, raising their weapons in protest.

**XxX**

George squeezed his way through the angry dwarves and headed for Thorin who was sitting on the grass. George sighed and dropped himself next to the king. "Stupid dwarves." George mumbled cleaning his glasses. Thorin couldn't help but smile at the small boy. "What do you think I should choose?" George asked. "What ever you want." Thorin replied. "You would do well with a bow because you have a sharp eye." Thorin said. "But you have your own sword and it is a great weapon as well. Though I would leave the ax. It might be a little to heavy for you. You can learn to wield it when you're stronger."

"Would you teach me how to use my sword?" George asked. Thorin raised his eyebrows. He had never really spent time with the small boy but who could resist those big blue eyes? "I mean, who could be a better teacher then the master himself?" "Very well." Thorin chuckled and got up and pulled George to his feet. "Let's first stop the argument first before they kill each other."

Thorin walked up to the group but the door to Beorn's house flew open. "WILL YOU GUYS SHUT THE HELL UP!" Ella shouted standing in the doorframe. It was like she had read Thorin's mind. "We're try to have a conversation in here but I keep getting distracted by you idiots! So QUIET DOWN!" Everybody looked up at Ella before she slammed the door again.

**XxX**

"Come on!" George said pulling Thorin's arm while he jumped up and down. "You have to teach me! Now!" "Alright, alright." Thorin chuckled. "Draw your sword." George did as he was told. "Now do exactly as I." George nodded and got himself ready to mirror Thorin's every move.

"First of all, you have to hold your sword like this." Thorin said bending on one of his knees next to George so that he could see. "Very good." Thorin gave George a smile. "When you block with your sword, you hold it like this. You will then be able to shield yourself from the blow without dropping your weapon or breaking your wrist." Thorin could see that George was eager to learn by look in his eyes. "Now let me see some swings." George jumped up in the air and started swinging his sword at the air around him. Thorin had to duck a couple of time to avoid them. George ran up to Kili and Fili and started running around swinging his sword at them. Fili and Kili chased him and they had their own mini adventure. Thorin laid back in the grass lost in thoughts. What could go wrong? Fili and Kili were with him and Thorin closed his eyes for a second.

It had been a long while since he taught someone, so small, to fight. Thorin could still see young Fili and Kili's faces when they asked him if he could teach them how to fight. Fili was about George's age when Thorin taught him how to fight. Fili had exactly the same spark in his eyes. Thorin knew that George would be a great warrior some day, if Ella only would let him go just a little. It felt like everything was happening all over again only this time a little different.

Thorin had been awakened from his thoughts by a cry. George came running up to him his hand was wrapped around his finger. Thorin sat up and George crashed into his chest crying. "What is the matter, little one?" Thorin asked while he put an arm around the crying child. George lifted his hand and showed Thorin the cut that was on his small hand. Thorin frowned looking closer. George had a small cut in his finger and was only bleeding a little. You could hardly see it. "I cut my finger." George sniffed. "It really hurts." He sobbed into Thorin's chest.

Thorin shook his head. The same thing happened to Kili when he was little. Thorin couldn't help but to put a smile on his face. "Don't worry you will be fine. It's only a scratch." "No, it really hurts." George cried. "You have to kiss it." Thorin raised his eyebrows. "What?" He questioned. "You have to kiss it and make the pain go away. My daddy back home always did that if I hurt myself. He always said that a kiss could heal every wound no matter how small or how big." For a second Thorin didn't know what to do but George just kept looking at him with pleading eyes.

"Alright but don't you go running around with this sword of yours. It's not a toy." George nodded with tears in his eyes. "Okay." He sniffed. Thorin quickly kissed the small cut and George jumped up from his lap. He quickly gave Thorin a tight hug and ran off waving his sword again. "Come on, boys! The princess will be mine!" "George what did I just tell you?!" Thorin shouted after George but he didn't listen and kept running, sword in the air.

_What is happening to me? _Thorin thought when he couldn't see George anymore. _I'm growing soft._ He sighed, fell back into the grass and rubbed his face.

**XxX**

Balin saw the confused and frustrated king landing in the grass and he placed himself next to him. "Are you alright lad?" "What is happening to me Balin?" Thorin asked. Balin just smiled at the king and sighed. "I believe you have started to care for them." Balin said scratching his chin looking at George playing around. "I have not." Thorin said but Balin was wise and didn't believe him for a second. "Don't worry lad." Balin said with a smile calmly patting Thorin's shoulder. "It happens to the best of us." "But I don't understand Balin." Thorin said sitting up. "Why me?"

"Because that is what they decided. From the point that Ella said that they would join us, I knew. I could see the trust she had put in you, you might not have gotten along at first but after the trolls I could see something changed in her." "But I didn't want this." Thorin said. "I believe neither of you wanted it but Ella gave up fighting that feeling in Rivendell and the bear attack was the last drop for her. Though it took a little longer for you." Balin said raising an eyebrow at Thorin. "Though, I still think that you still have a long way to go."

**XxX**

"She called me father." Thorin said soft after a moment of silence. "Twice." Balin noticed a small smile on Thorin's face when he looked at the ground. "Why?" "I can not answer that but maybe it is because you remind her of her father and you act like a father from time to time." "I do n-" Thorin was cut off by Balin who pointed at George. "But then how did you get George to stop crying?" He asked him a bit teasingly. "Whether you like it or not, Thorin. They might be closer to your heart then you might think." Balin patted Thorin on the shoulder one last time and stood up only to duck at George's swings.

"Master George!" Balin said, pushing himself up. "Be careful with that, you might chop of somebody's head." "Oh, I'm sorry Balin." George said lowering his weapon. "I was only trying to slay the dragon." "What dragon?" Balin asked playing along. George said nothing but pointed to Thorin with an evil little smile on his face. He held his finger up to his lips, sighing Balin to keep quiet while he moved closer to Thorin.

With a raw George jumped on Thorin's back. "Fili! Kili! I have the dragon!" George shouted laughing as Thorin pulled him over his head and George was hanging upside down in front of him. "Ella help! The dragon has caught me!" Thorin dropped George but he grabbed him again before putting him down on the ground. Thorin threw his legs over George so that the small boy couldn't get away. George laughed while he twisted and turned trying to get away from the heavy weight of Thorin's legs.

"Kili help!" Kili came running up and pulled an imaginary arrow in his bow. As he let go Thorin fell to the ground hand over his heart and Fili pulled George from under Thorin's legs. "Hurray! We did it!" George shouted in victory.

"What did you do?" Ella asked with a smile on her face as she stepped closer. "We killed the dragon and saved the princess!" "Did you now?" Ella asked and saw that George was covered in dirt a little. "Let me guess Thorin was the dragon," George quickly nodded and smiled. "And Kili was the princess?" "Noo..." George giggled. "Fili?" "No." "I know who!" Ella said. "Bifor!" "Vass?!" Bifor said turning his head. "No Ella, it was you." George giggled. "But I'm not a princess." Ella said with a eyebrow raised. "Yet! But you will be when you marry Fili." George said playfully looking up at her. "We'll see." She said with a smile turning a bit red as she caught Fili's eyes. "But let's have dinner first before we start making any plans!" She said. George stretched out his hand to Thorin and 'helped' him up with his small arms.

"So what did you guys do today?" Ella asked George as they walked back to the house. "Thorin taught me how to hold a sword! And I cut my finger, SEE?!" He said excited as he held his finger in front of Ella's face. "It hurt but then Thorin kissed it and it didn't hurt anymore!" "And then you killed him." Ella said laughing. "YES!" George laughed. "Then we killed him!"

**It was a lot harder to write then I thought so here's a late update :3**

Review, comment, favorite and follow! I would love you hear what you think ;3


	27. Infected

Beorn had left them and for once there was a dinner without throwing stuff. How the dwarves managed that, Ella didn't know but she couldn't eat. Her back hurt too much. Something wasn't right. Ella started getting dizzy. She felt her head and she could feel her temperature rise so she decided that it would be a good idea to go to bed.

"Are you alright, Ella? You're looking a bit pale." Fili said touching her cheeks with the back of his hand.

"Yeah, yeah." Ella said pushing his hand down a bit. "I'm just a bit tired and my back is killing me, so if the gentlemen would please excuse me then I am going to bed."

Ella pushed herself up with the support from Fili and she stroked his hair before walking away. "Goodnight, guys."

"GOODNIGHT."

Ella started to feel dizzier and dizzier and before she even left the dining room she fell to the floor. Everybody quickly stood up and ran towards her.

"Give her some space." Oin said pushing some of the dwarves away.

Ella was cold and Oin raised a hand towards her sweaty forehead.

"She has a fever. Dwalin help me put her into her room." Oin said concerned.

Dwalin gave Fili a quick look and Fili gave him an approving nod. Dwalin picked Ella up in his arms and she screamed in pain. That scream sent a shiver down Fili's spine; he had never heard her scream like that before.

XxX

"Alright, everybody out!" Oin shouted after Dwalin had put Ella in her bed. Everybody started arguing with him.

"Oin is she going to be alright?!"

"What is happening!?"

"Is she going to die!?"

"What is wrong with her!?"

"Oin answer us!"

"Please let us stay!"

"You have to help her!"

"Why is Elly shaking?"

"Is there anything we can do?!"

Oin pushed everybody out. "If you want to be of any help then you can get me some water, a piece of cloth and a knife!" Oin said before slamming the door in their faces and ran back to Ella. He had to rip her shirt open and he quickly removed the bandages. Her wound was red and swollen and Ella was sweating and had a fever. Oin feared the wound to be infected.

Bilbo opened the door and everybody came jogging in giving Oin the tools he needed.

"Thank you, everyone. Now out you go!" Nobody moved. "Gandalf?!" Oin shouted for help and the wizard pushed everybody towards the door again before closing it.

"I don't feel so good doc." Ella said with tears softly running down her cheeks.

"Calm down lass, you will be fine. Your wound is infected." Oin said moving the cloth against her wound. "This is going to hurt."

Ella screamed and cried in pain. "AAARGH! NO DON'T! OIN! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP! FILI HELP!" Ella screamed trying to get away.

XxX

Fili's heart broke hearing Ella scream his name from behind the door, he felt helpless knowing that he couldn't do anything for her. Everybody was pacing around and growing nervous every time she screamed.

Fili sat against the wall biting his nails waiting for Oin to come out when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Bilbo Baggins. He could see that even the hobbit was worried. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Does it look like I am alright?"

"I know how you must feel but she is strong and in good hands. She will get herself through this."

Fili looked back down and started biting his nails again.

_"Fili! Thorin!" _Oin shouted from behind the door. Fili jumped to his feet and Thorin almost broke down the door before running to Ella. "You have to hold her down!" Oin said to them. "I have to cut open the wound. The infection is already trying to spread. Lets hope it isn't to late."

"Oin what are you saying?! NO OIN, PLEASE DON'T!" Ella shouted when she saw the knife.

She tried to get away but Thorin and Fili had already pushed her down making her scream even more. The rest of the company had walked in as well but stood in the back of the room, still pacing around nervously.

Ella put her nails in the wood of the bed but Fili grabbed her hands letting go of her shoulder. "Just hold on Ella." He said trying to calm her down as Oin placed himself on her legs. "It will be over before you know it." Ella's tears were filled with fear and pain.

When Oin put the piece of cloth on Ella's back she started screaming again.

"NO! AW! OIN! DON'T! PLEASE! Fili! Please make him stop!"

Fili had to bite down his own tears. Seeing Ella like this, in so much pain tore him apart. Ella's hand gripped tight around Fili's hand while she screamed in pain, lifting her back up as she felt the knife cutting through her skin. Bifor and Dori had to help Thorin to keep Ella down and Bilbo had put her braids up in a ponytail to keep it away from the wound.

XxX

Kili had covered George's ears from Ella's screams but her screams were to loud. "Kili please make her stop!" George cried. Kili couldn't do anything but to hold George. "Kili please." George said soft into Kili's chest.

Kili picked up George and walked out of the room.

"No Kili!" George cried in the hallway reaching his arms towards his sister. "We have to go back!"

Kili said nothing. He just rocked George back and forth like he had seen Ella do and hoped that it would be all over soon.

"ELLA! KILI PLEASE TAKE ME BACK! LET ME GO! ELLY!"

XxX

"Bombur!" Oin shouted. "Get me some honey! Nori get me another clean cloth!"He was almost done cleaning Ella's wound. "Gloin get me some more water! Ori I need fresh bandages! And another blanket!" He shouted after the dwarves as they ran out of the room.

Ella still had a tight grip on Fili's hand. Fili pushed his head against her temple. "We're almost done." He whispered. "It's almost over."

"One last time." Oin said to her. "Be ready to push her down again lads!"

Oin took a deep breath before cutting in her skin again. Ella screamed and cried while puss and blood ran down her back. Ella almost kicked Oin from her legs and Bofur had to sit on her legs as well. Never had Oin seen this much puss in a wound and he feared that the injection might have spread faster and further then he thought.

Bombur, Nori, Gloin and Ori came running back with supplies. "Please say it's over." Ella cried. "I can't take it anymore."

"Almost sweetheart." Fili whispered in her hair. "Almost."

Balin gave a wet piece of cloth to Oin. "Ella we're almost done but I need you to count to ten and hold your breath."

"No! I can't-"

"I'll count with you." Fili said looking in her eyes.

Fili slowly counted to ten and Ella forced her nails into Fili's skin and held her breath while Oin wiped all the puss and blood away.

"… Nine…Ten!" Ella let out a scream and fell exhausted in the bed.

"Everybody out." Oin ordered. "Let's get you wrapped up again, lass."

Fili kissed Ella's head and walked away with the others.

XxX

"How is she?" Kili asked soft still rocking George. "Is she going to be alright?"

"She will be." Thorin said placing a hand on his shoulder. "We will have to wait until morning to see the results. How is he?"

"Worried." Kili said with a small smile. "Is he sleeping?" Kili turned around so that Thorin could better have a look at him.

Thorin nodded.

"Let's hope it stays that way." Kili said a bit worried.

"Let's get him into bed." Thorin said with a hand on George's head.

XxX

Fili sat outside Ella's door biting his nails. He could hear Ella groan, cry and scream in pain. He looked down at his own hand Ella had hurt him pretty bad. She was really strong. Fili could see bruises and nail markings around his hand. He should remember to take of his rings next time he would hold Ella's hand in a situation like that. Hopefully it wouldn't happen again. He never wanted to see Ella in such pain again.

The door opened and Oin stepped through the door. "How is she?" Fili asked looking up. "Can I see her?"

Oin gave the worried prince a nod and opened the door. "Fili." Oin said before he closed the door. "Make sure she stays in that bed and if anything changes I need you to get me immediately."

Fili nodded and walked up to Ella.

"Oh and if she complains about her wound put some honey on it. It will ease the pain and if you see any puss I need you to shout." With those words he closed the door.

Ella was asleep. All the struggling, screaming and crying had exhausted her. Her face was pale and she was shaking. Fili grabbed on of the extra blankets and pulled it over her up to her chin.

Fili was afraid to touch her. He didn't want to put her in any more pain; he didn't want her to wake up. Fili jumped up the end of the bed and just looked at her. She was lying on her chest and he hair was damp from the sweat and fever. He wanted to hold her so bad; he just wanted to comfort her. He didn't want to lose her. He couldn't lose her! Fili placed his head against the wall and dozed asleep.

XxX

"Fili?" A soft and sleepy voice asked. "Are you awake?"

Fili stumbled awake and sat next to Ella beside the bed. "Yes, yes I am. Are you all right? And don't say yes." Fili said quick

"No I'm not." Ella said with a tone that sounded like she was going to cry again.

"Hey… Come here." Fili said sitting next to the bed. He held on to her hand looking her deep into her eyes. "It's over now." He said stroking her hair. "You did great."

"It hurt so much." She sobbed. "It just hurt so much."

"Why didn't you tell me that you had a fever? We would have treated your wound earlier."

"I didn't want to make you worry. I though it would just pass but it didn't." Ella said.

"Exactly." Fili said with a little anger. "You didn't tell me and if you wouldn't have fallen to the ground that infection could have been in you blood and you could have died. Oin had to cut you open, Ella! And you had all of us worrying sick and Kili had to drag George out of the room! He shouted your name Ella! Your little brother screamed your name as if you had died right in front of his eyes!"

Ella didn't know what to do and just turned her head away from him and started crying again. Fili sighed and pushed his head against hers.

"We could have lost you." He said with tears in his eyes and kissed her head.

"Please forgive me." She whispered after a while. Ella didn't look Fili in the eyes and she didn't turn her head. Fili sighed and crawled up the bed. He lay next to her and they lay nose to nose.

"Only if you promise me that you'll never do it again."

"I promise." She said looking into his eyes. "I promise, Fili." She said in a whisper.

XxX

Fili moved a couple of braids out of Ella's face.

"What happened to your hand?" Ella asked concerned.

"You did." He said with a smile. "You are stronger then you look."

"What did I do?" Ella asked curious.

Fili chuckled. "I grabbed your hand before Oin started cleaning your wound and you had a pretty tight grip around it."

"I'm sorry." She said. "But then what are those red marking on the side?"

"You might have pierced you nails in my hand once or twice." Fili took one of her small hands and looked at it. "Can't believe that a hand this small, could make my hand feel broken."

"I broke it?!"

"No, thank Durin you didn't!" He chuckled. "Just remind me to take of my rings next time I hold your hand."

"I really am sorry, Fili." Ella whispered caressing his face. "I promise it won't happen again."

Fili wiped away the single tear that was rolling down her face. "I know." He whispered moving his head closer making their lips almost touch. "I know."


	28. Lost and Forgotten

Fili walked in to the dining room where the others were having breakfast.

"Fili!" George shouted and ran into his arms. "Is Ella okay?"

"She's alright, little one." Fili said smiling and ruffled George's hair. "And she is very hungry."

George eyes widened.

"Can I bring her some breakfast? Please Fili!" George begged with puppy eyes, pulling Fili on his sleeve waiting for an answer.

"Of course, just be careful. She's still in a lot of pain."

"I will." George said grabbing a plate filling it with some biscuits and a honey roll and he poured some milk in a mug.

With his small hands full of food George quickly walked up to the room. He pushed the door open with his foot and stuck his head through the opening. "Elly? Are you awake?" He whispered. Ella turned her head. Her face was pale and her cheeks red.

"Hey, baby boy." She said with a horse voice and lifted her arm signing George that it was all right to come in.

"I brought you some food." He said soft and placed the food and milk on the nightstand next to her bed.

"That looks delicious." She said with a smile. "Is it all for me?"

George nodded. "Fili said you were hungry so I brought you some extra biscuits."

Ella put her hand on George's cheek and pulled him in giving him a kiss on his head. She heard him sniff and she held her arm around him. "Oh, baby boy... Come here." Ella said soft. She painfully moved on her side and lifted George on the bed.

"I thought that-that you…"

She held her arms tight around his chest and placed her head against his sighing into his blond hair. George started crying and Ella softly hummed a song.

**XxX**

"We are never going home, are we?" George said with small tears running down his cheek. "We will never see mommy and daddy again." He turned around facing Ella. "We're lost and forgotten."

"George, please don't say that." Ella said with tears in her own eyes.

"But it's true, isn't it?"

Ella just nodded and a tear fell down her face she couldn't hide the truth anymore. "I'm sorry George. It's all my fault." She said in a whisper. George snuggled into her arms and Ella tightened her grip. "We're gonna be alright." Ella whispered into his hair. "I'll always protect you, I swear."

"Cross your heart?" George said a little stronger but still in a small voice.

"Cross my heart." Ella said with a small smile, crossing her heart and gave George a tight hug. "I won't leave you. No matter how terrible the pain is."

**XxX**

"Want to share my breakfast?" Ella asked when her stomach growled. George giggled and wiped away the tear tracks on his face.

"The honey rolls are really good." He said sitting up and breaking it in two pieces. Ella forced herself to sit up and she took a bite. Her eyes widened, as she tasted the flavor of honey on her tongue.

"Mmmmm! These are really good!" Ella said and stuffed the rest of it in her mouth. "Is there anymore?"

"Only some biscuits." George said with his mouth full. "Maybe the others have some left overs."

"GUYS!" Ella shouted her voice still cracking a little. It took the dwarves and the hobbit less then ten seconds to come crashing into to room.

"What is it?!" Thorin asked.

"Is it your back?!" Oin said concerned.

"No, no! Guys calm down, we were just wondering if there were any honey rolls left."

Everybody sighed and either fell to the floor or had to lean against the wall or each other to calm their heart attacks. George was rolling in laughter and Ella would have too if it wasn't for her back.

"Oh how I wished that I had my camera on me! You guys should have seen your faces!" Ella said laughing with tears in her eyes. "Priceless!"

"Don't do that again!" Thorin growled at the laughing siblings. "It was not funny!"

"But it was!" George said rolling around laughing. "You guys looked ridiculous!"

**XxX**

One of the dogs came walking in with plate filled with fresh baked rolls. Ella and George grabbed one of the plate and stuffed their faces. They said thank you with their mouths full, the dog nodded his head and walked away again. "Want one?" Ella asked the others stuffing her mouth full with her third one already. No one moved for a second.

"They are really gooood." George said grabbing another one.

The others soon stomped their way to George and they all grabbed a roll and scattered around the room. Fili sat arm in arm with Ella and Kili had George on his lap. "So when are we leaving?" Ella asked Fili.

"Well Oin said that he would check your back later and again tomorrow and if there is no sign of the infection then we'll be leaving the day after tomorrow." Fili said taking another bite from his honey roll.

"Where are we going next?" George asked.

"Mirkwood." Kili said. "Thranduil's realm."

"It that a bad thing?" George asked looking up at Kili.

"He is the one that left the dwarves to fend for themselves when Erebor was attacked by the dragon." Thorin softly growled when he walked up to the four. "Now leave your sister. She will need all the rest she can get. The more she rests the better her back will heal and the faster we can be on the road again. Everybody outside now!"

"Well he's in a good mood." Ella said under her breath.

"Don't blame him." Fili said. "He just wants to get to and through Thranduil's realm as fast as possible. But he is right about one thing."

"What?" Ella asked raising a brow.

"You should rest." He said with a smile.

"Alright but keep an eye out for your uncle, will ya? He doesn't look like he's been sleeping well."

"Are you concerned about my uncle?" Fili asked with a smirk on his face.

"Yes, I am actually." Ella said smiling. "You should go." Fili put his hand in hair and pulled her in for a kiss and Ella swung her arms around his neck.

"_FILI!"_ Thorin growled in the hallway. Fili broke their kiss. "Try to get some sleep." He smiled and walked away closing the door behind him.

**XxX**

Ella sighed. There she was all alone lying in her bed. Her temperature had gone back to normal and her face started to get some color again. Ella felt a whole lot better but what George had said kept her up. _Lost and forgotten. _They were probably never going to see their friends and family again. Ella closed her eyes trying to fall asleep with the thought in the back of her mind and hoped the dream would let her see her family.

"_Here you go. So what's it going to be, 300 or Gladiator?"_

_Ella opened her eyes shaking her head. _

_Where was she? _

_Ella opened the door to see where she was. _

_She was in a small apartment but she couldn't place where._

_The only thing that was familiar to her was Dean's familiar New Zealand accent. _

"_What am I doing here?" Ella asked herself as she stepped out of the room. _

_She turned around the corner and saw two figures on the couch. _

"_Dean?" She asked she didn't get an answer only the sound of two people kissing and fooling around._

_Ella could see Dean throw his shoes off and pulling his shirt over his head._

_She moved closer._

_Ella covered her mouth in shock as she saw Dean slid his tongue into the unknown girls mouth._

_She moaned in pleasure and Ella wondered who she was, anger started boiling inside of her._

_When Dean lifted his head ripping the shirt off of the unknown girl open she could see who it was._

_It was her best friend Lucy._

"_You BITCH!" Ella shouted. "I'm gone and this is what is happening! I hope you two have an really good explanation ready!"_

_Ella got no reaction and they just kept going._

"_DEAN!" Ella shouted._

_Dean stopped and looked up._

"_Did you hear that?" He asked Lucy out of breath._

"_Hear what?" Lucy asked concerned._

"_I-I thought I heard someone."_

"_It was probably nothing." Lucy said smiling pulling him on top of her again. "Now am I getting what you promised me tonight?"_

"_WHAT?!" Ella shouted. "YOU LITTLE SLUT! I can't believe that you were my best friend! Dean was mine! How dare you treat him like this?!"_

_Ella closed her eyes as they started removing more clothes._

"_Please wake up, please wake up."_

**_..._**

_She opened her eyes once more and she was now standing in her room. _

_Everything was exactly as she had left it. _

_She heard people talking and laughing._

_Once more Ella opened the door and walked down the stairs._

_Her mom, her husband, John, and the twins, Mike and Theodore, were sitting around the table._

_As Ella walked closer to the dining room she walked past a small table._

_There was a picture of her, cards and roses standing on top._

_Ella picked the picture frames and looked at it. _

_It was a picture of her holding the twins for the first time._

_It was made right before her parents decided to split up._

"_Theo, can I have the salad?" Mike asked._

_Ella put the picture down and looked into the room._

_The twins had grown; they looked like they were about ten now. __She hadn't seen them since last Christmas._

_While Theodore handed Mike the bowl he nocked a glass of water over._

_Her mother cursed and ran to the kitchen but the small table in the hallway wasn't standing right and she knocked it over. _

"_John, would you please help me?!" Her mother shouted to her husband._

_Ella's mother cleaned the table while John cleaned the floor from the broken vase and picture frame._

"_Bell, what should I do with this?" He asked holding the picture of Ella up._

"_Just throw it away." Her mother said looking at the picture in the air. "It's trash anyway."_

_Ella's heart broke as John opened the bin in the kitchen and ripped the picture in four pieces before throwing in away._

"_Mother!" Ella shouted. "That was a picture of me!"_

"_Sorry momma." Theodore said._

_They were clearly not hearing her. _

"_It's alright, sweetheart. It was just an accident."_

"_Mom, look at me!" Ella shouted with tears in her eyes._

_She didn't._

_No one did._

_Ella closed her eyes forcing everything to go away._

_**...**_

_Ella opened her eyes for the third time hoping that the nightmare would be over._

_But no, she was standing in her other room. _

_Or what used to be her room. _

_All of her stuff had been moved._

_Her blue walls were now pink and big flowers stickers had replaced her movie posters._

_Instead of her bed there stood a small crib and her shelves were filled with baby toys instead of movies and books._

"_JIM! GET BACK HERE!"_

_Ella ran out of her room and stood in the hallway as she could see her father and her older brother Jim shouting at each other._

_Sandra, George's mom, was holding a small baby and she couldn't be more then a month old._

"_GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON TO STAY!" Jim shouted at her father._

"_YOU LIVE UNDER MY ROOF SO YOU OBEY MY RULES!" Her father barked._

"_I AM NOT A DOG!" Jim barked back. "I DON'T HAVE TO OBEY ANYONE!"_

"_Jim calm down." Sandra said over the cries of the baby._

"_No!" He snapped._

"_Fine but would you a least put the baby to bed, please? I need to talk to your father." Sandra handed Jim the small baby and she stopped crying._

_As Jim walked past Ella and she could get a glimpse of the baby girl._

_She had Georges's blond hair and Ella's green eyes._

_Ella was overjoyed seeing her new baby sister._

_She had a little sister!_

"_Why did you do that?!" Sandra shouted at her father in the kitchen._

"_Because he needs to know who is in charge here!" Her father growled. "He has caused this family enough misery!"_

_Ella ran into the kitchen._

"_David, stop it!" Sandra snapped. "He is going through a tough time right now. It's only been a year since Ella and George died and he never got to say goodbye to them!"_

"_That was his own fault!" Her father shouted. "If he hadn't dealt those drugs then he would have! And I do not want to hear those names in this house ever again!"_

"_They were our children!" Sandra shouted._

_Ella closed her eyes as her father hit his hand across Sandra's cheek._

"_HOW DARE YOU?!" Ella shouted stepping closer as Sandra dropped to the floor. _"_HOW DARE YOU HIT A WOMAN?! I WILL CRAWL OUT OF MY GRAVE, SO HELP ME GOD AND I'LL KICK YOU ASS!"_

_Her father didn't hear her even though she was standing right next to him shouting into his ears._

_Her father bent down and looked at his wife._

"_They are dead and are better of forgotten. Do I make myself clear?" Her father said threading._

Ella's eyes shot open as she felt a small body beside her. She looked down and saw that George had crawled up in her bed. Ella's eyes filled with tears and she pulled George closer kissing his head. She shifted the blanket and George yawned before falling back against his sister. Ella looked out the window and saw millions and billions of stars shine. "Lost and forgotten." She whispered in George's hair and with tears streaming down her face and she fell asleep again hoping that the nightmares wouldn't return.

**It's late and I'm tired so I hope that there aren't any mistakes.  
****Hope you enjoyed!  
****More to come soon, I just need some sleep first :3  
****You guys know what to do!**

**Goodnight everyone :3**


	29. Young Love

Ella awoke when something cold was pressed against her back. Ella groaned.

"Good morning." Oin said.

"Oh, morning doc!" Ella said with a smile. "You haven't seen George by any chance, have you?"

"He's outside with the others." Oin said cleaning her wound

"Isn't it clean enough?" Ella mumbled joking.

"Just to be on the safe side, My Lady." Oin said. "How did you sleep?"

"Well besides having another nightmare about my family AGAIN then I'm perfectly fine."

"Care to tell me about it?"

"Not really but I guess that I have to tell someone." Ella said rolling her eyes. Ella told her whole story in one long breath and Oin didn't even interrupt once.

"And then he threatened her!" Ella said finishing the story. "That's not something for my father to do. He would never put a finger on her! I just don't understand why I keep having these kind of dreams."

"This isn't your first nightmare like that?" Oin asked. "No. I've had several before but this one was different from the others."

"How different?" Oin asked a bit concerned.

"Well, with the other dreams it would always end with the car crash but not this one." Ella frowned and started thinking. "And in the others George was the only one t-t-to-to… you know… and now I heard Sandra say that I had died too. Why do you think that is?" She asked Oin.

"Maybe you have grown too attached to the company." Ella couldn't help but smile at his comment.

"Maybe I have."

Oin cleared his throat and wrapped Ella up again.

"Can I go outside?" Ella asked Oin when he was done.

"No." He quickly said.

"Oh come on Oin, please… Please… Pretty please?"

"Please lass, don't look at me like that." Ella just kept looking at him and she made her puppy eyes bigger. "Fine." Oin said lowering his head in defeat.

"Yes!" Ella shouted. "Can you give me my shirt then?"

"Sorry to tell you this lass. But we had to cut your shirt open."

"What?!" Ella said with her eyes wide with shock. "But what am I suppose to wear then? I can't go walking around like this."

Oin chuckled at Ella's outburst and handed her Fili's leather jacket. "He left it for you." He said with a smile. Ella quickly pulled it on, but as her arm moved into one of the sleeves she could see that the fabric was torn. You could see where the bear had struck.

"Holy shit!" Ella shouted as she saw the marks. "Guess I was lucky."

"That you were." Oin said with a nod. "Now get some food before you go outside, while I clean up this mess."

"Thank you Oin." Ella said and ran out of the door.

"Don't run! You still have to be careful with your-" Oin was cut off when Ella closed the door with a bang. "Why am I even trying?" He said to himself.

**XxX**

"Hey guys." Ella said walking outside with two honey rolls in her hand.

"Ah, look who's finally up." Bofur said with a smile. "How's your back feeling?"

"Very clean." Ella joked. "And a bit stiff."

Bofur patted on the empty spot on the grass and Ella sat down. _"Ella, I allowed you to go outside but you still have to lay down!_" Oin shouted from the house.

"Alright!" Ella shouted back rolling her eyes and lay down in the grass. "This sucks."

She sneezed once or twice, thanks to the grass tickling her nose when she suddenly felt something crawl up her hand. Ella screamed shaking her hand and jumped against Bofur. She quickly crawled over his head and swung her arms and legs around his back. Bofur's eyes were wide as Ella crawled against him and he had to hold his hat from falling.

"What's wrong, lass?!" He asked concerned trying to breathe as Ella's arms tightened around his neck.

"There!" Ella pointed. Bofur squinted his eyes to the grass where Ella had been laying and he saw a small spider walking across. Bofur started laughing and everybody looked at them and came walking up.

Bofur stood up but Ella still hung on to his back. "Your afraid of a itty bitty spider like that?!" He asked laughing.

"What's going on?" Thorin asked with his deep voice as he saw Ella holding on to Bofur with all her might.

"Our lass here, is afraid of spiders." Bofur said covering his eyes laughing as he tried to stay on his feet.

Thorin shook his head. "Ella, let Bofur go." He said smiling. "It was just a spider."

"That's no going to work, Thorin." George said standing next to him. "Once Ella knows that there is a spider, she won't let go."

Ella shook her head and tightened her grip.

"Ella… Lass… I can't… Breathe!"

"One time Ella had a spider in her room and she slept outside the door with her blanket over her head."

"Yes well, that spider was as big as my fist!" Ella shouted.

"You mean a speck." George said rolling his eyes with a small smile on his face. "See what I have to live with?" He asked Thorin.

Thorin walked up to Bofur and tried to loosen Ella's grip around his neck but it didn't work. "Fili!" Thorin shouted and Fili came running up. "Get your woman off of him." Fili tried to hide his smile but failed.

He walked behind Bofur and grabbed Ella by her waist. "It alright, love." He said trying to pull her off. "The spider is long gone." Apparently it didn't work. Dwalin, Bombur and Bifor had to help Fili with getting her off.

**XxX**

Once everyone had convinced Ella that the spider was gone she calmed down but she did not want to lie on the bare grass so they had to fetch her a blanket. Ella looked at every single dwarf.

Dwalin and Nori were sharpening their weapon. Ori was drawing a picture of Ella and Fili, who was lying next to her. Bofur was sitting far away from Ella smoking his pipe and talking to Bifor, Balin and Dori. Balin and Dori were having a discussion of some sort. Gloin and Bombur were sharing stories about the kids. Kili was practicing his arrows. Oin was sitting against a tree chasing lost hours of sleep. But where were Thorin and George? She hadn't seen Beorn and Gandalf either.

Ella raised herself on her elbows and looked around. Fili clearly knew what she was thinking and pointed down the hill. "He's teaching him how to fight." Fili mumbled. Ella got up on her feet but Fili grabbed her ankle and she fell down into the grass and Fili dragged her back to him. He wrapped his arms around her not touching her wound.

"Fili let me go." She giggled.

"No." He said chuckled. "I've waited long enough to hold you again. So you're staying with me!" He said pulling her closer to his chest. Ella tried to wiggle her way out.

"I just want to see if he's alright." She giggled.

"He's with Thorin. Nothing could go wrong!"

"Would ya look at that." Gloin said to Bombur as they moved closer. "Young love."

"Seems like ages ago to us." Bombur chuckled. The ginger dwarves sat next to the couple. "Could you imagine Ella walking around with a round tummy?" Bombur asked. "The halls of Erebor filled with young dwarflings, running around and laughing."

"Pulling our beards and hanging onto our legs 'til we drop." Gloin said chuckling.

"What number do you have in mind?" Bombur asked Ella.

"What?" Ella asked her cheeks blushing mad.

"How many children do you want?" Gloin asked. "Their needs to be an heir at some point."

Fili's face was now turning red as well and he let go of Ella a little.

"Aw, isn't this nice." Kili said teasingly as he to moved closer to his brother and Ella. "Your making them blush." Ella pulled Fili's leather jacket over her head.

"Now, come on." Gloin said. "Give us a number." The heat under Fili's jacket started to rise and Ella could hardly breath under it. _Why are they doing this to me?_

"Four." She heard Fili say sure of himself.

_What? _Ella's eyes widened and she stuck her head out of the jacket.

"Three boys and a girl." Fili continued. Ella looked up at him and then to the others. Everybody was now sitting around them. Everybody except for George and Thorin who were still training down the hill and Ella thanked God for it with all her heart.

"What are you going to name them?" Bilbo asked curious. Ella looked up at Fili. His mouth was open but no words came out. "We haven't decides that yet." He said quickly.

_Please stop talking about it. _Ella thought. _Bring back the spider!_

One of the horses came their way and Ella knew that it meant that it was time for lunch. "Hallelujah, praise the Lord!" She said dramatically and stood up. "I'll go get Thorin and George." She quickly said and walked away making the others laugh.

**XxX**

When she was out of site she leaned against a tree and sighed. She could feel the heartbeat through the tree and it calmed her down. She had never felt so awkward during a conversation, EVER. Not even when her father gave her THE talk. This had far out been the worst. She was nineteen, she hadn't thought about any of those things yet. Maybe it popped in her head once or twice but she always shook the thoughts out of her head. She had to finish collage first.

Ella stood behind a tree watching Thorin and George practice. She had to give it to George he was actually pretty good. He swung his little sword around and attacked Thorin. Thorin was about to swing his sword at the little warrior but George crawled between his legs. George swung his sword but Thorin blocked it just in time. George giggled as Thorin ruffled his hair.

"Again." Thorin said smiling. Thorin was smiling and it looked good on him. Ella saw a familiar spark in his eyes. It was a spark her father used to have in his eye when he was running around and playing with George.

Ella sat down and leaned her shoulder against the tree as George and Thorin kept battling. She started thinking about the conversation she had with Gloin and Bombur.

"_Ella walking around with a round tummy." _

_"The halls of Erebor filled with dwarflings."_

For the first time Ella really thought about having her own. What would they look like? Would they have Fili's blond hair and her green eyes or would they have dark hair with blue eyes? Would they have Fili's caring and adventurous side or would they have Ella protective side and her mood swings? She truly hoped not. Fili already had his hands full enough with her mood swings.

Ella was pulled from her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey." Fili said and sat down next to her.

"Hey." She replied and leaned her head on his shoulder. He grabbed her hand and entwined their fingers.

"I haven't seen that look on my uncles face in a long time." Fili said with a smile.

"It looks good on him, doesn't it?" Ella asked and Fili just nodded his head.

Ella imagined Fili running around like that. Their small kids running after him with their small wooden swords, of course! If they ever had kids she sure as hell wouldn't let them run around with real swords. Ella couldn't help but to smile at the picture in her head. Fili would make a great father, she was sure of it.

"What are you think about?" Fili asked with the biggest smile on his face.

Ella shook her head. "Nothing." She said quickly.

"Tell me." Fili said poking her.

"It's nothing." Ella said smiling.

"Was it about what I had said back there?"

"May-be." Ella said trying to hide her smile.

"Look, I'm sorry if I-"

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Ella said looking him into his eyes. "I just…" Ella sighed and looked and the ground. "I've never really thought about it." Ella looked up again. "But what you said, it what you want isn't it?"

"May-be." Fili said with a teasing smile.

"No but seriously for a second. It's what you want, isn't it?" Ella didn't let go of his eyes.

"Well, that's how I always pictured it." Fili said. "I could imagine us having our own. The boys running around waving their weapon at each other."

"What about the girl?" Ella asked. "You said you wanted a girl too."

"The girl would be daddy's little princes but of course she would learn how to fight to and she would chase after her brothers." Ella smiled at the spark that started to rise in his eyes. "She would have your mood swings." He said joking.

"I hope not!" Ella said. "I'm already bad enough."

"How would you want it?" Fili asked her. "Well, I've never really thought about it. I always said that I should finish my collage first, but I don't see that happening anymore now." Ella answered with a smile.

"You'll be a great father." She said. "The way you are around George sometimes proves that. Just don't give our kids their first ale when they're six." Ella said with a stern look.

"I can't promise anything." He said with a smirk and Ella rolled her eyes.

"_THORIN! FILI! ELLA! GEORGE! WHERE ARE YOU? SOME OF US ARE STARVING OVER HERE!"_

"Dwarves really don't have any patience do they?" Ella asked joking.

"We do." Fili said helping her up. "Just not for two hours."

"Two hours?!" Ella shouted. "Have we really been gone that long?!"

Fili just smiled and nodded.

_"WILL YOU HURRY?!"_

"WERE COMING!" Ella shouted back.

"Thorin! George! Foods ready!" Fili shouted.

"Ella did you see me?!" George asked his sister. "I kicked Thorin's ass! Your next Fili!" George said pointing his sword at Fili before walking back to the house waving his sword in the air.

"That boy listens just as bad as you do." Thorin said standing next to Ella.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Apparently it runs in the family." Ella said smiling at the king before he walked after George. Fili grabbed Ella's hand and they weren't far behind him.

**XxX**

Ella pulled Fili to a stop before entering the house. "We still have to pick names." Ella said smiling and placing a kiss on Fili's lips.

"Later?" Fili asked pulling Ella closer.

"Later." She answered and placed her arms around his neck. Fili pulled her closer and lifted her up making Ella yelp before he started kissing her.

But again, before their kiss could go any deeper, the dwarves and the hobbit started shouting their names. "_Stop fooling around out there and get in here!"_ Bofur shouted.

"Please don't say that they will live with us." Ella said under her breath.

Fili chuckled and placed Ella down giving her one last kiss. "I wouldn't dream of it!" Fili said opening the door for her. "After you, my princess." Fili said bowing slightly and offering her his arm.

"Why thank you, my prince." Ella said and together they walked in.


	30. Flashing Image

After an eventful lunch the dwarves and the hobbit headed outside again. Everybody found their spot and Ella sat on the field watching George battle Kili with a smile on her face. "Get him, George!" Ella shouted.

"_No! That's a terrible name!" _

Ella heard someone say from behind her.

_"Oh and you think that Noril is a good name? We're not talking about elves here!" _

Ella turned her head and saw Nori and Bofur arguing. "Well then what are you two 'talking' about then?!" She asked the dwarves.

"Nothing! Nothing." Bofur said with his head down and headed for Ella.

"Come on." Ella nudged him. "Tell me, I want to know."

"I told you it was nothing." He said trying to convince her but it didn't work.

Nori placed himself on Ella's other side. "Nothing?" He said. "Names are not nothing."

"Names?" Ella asked with a smile. "What names?"

"If you had to choose a name," Bofur said annoyed. "Would you rather choose Noril or BODUR?"

Ella giggled at Bofur's stern look to Nori when he said Bodur.

"Why would you guys-?" She placed her face into her hands and rubbed her face. "Please don't say that you guys are choosing baby names." She said pinching the bridge of her nose. Why hadn't she noticed it before "Can't we just finish the quest first?"

"No, we can't." Nori said. "The mountain is just beyond Mirkwood."

"The quest will be over sooner then you think." Bofur said with a smile. "You have to think about these things."

Ella shook her head. "Okay fine! You guys want an answer?"

Nori and Bofur shook their heads enthusiastic.

"I will choose my own names, thank you very much. My babies, my names." Ella said with her head high. "And if one of you would like to help me up, then I could go for a walk and you two can make up other names." She said with a smile. "I'm always open for suggestions."

Nori and Bofur helped her up. _"I told you she wouldn't like Bodur!" _Nori argued when Ella had taken a few steps.

_"The only reason why she didn't like your name was because it was a name for an elf! Bodur would be a great name for a little princess of Erebor." _

Ella looked over her shoulder and shook her head with a smile. "Don't think so." She said under her breath and walked away.

**XxX**

Ella walked over the green field as she looked around. Beorn's place was huge and she only hoped that she could find her way back. She took of Fili's coat and placed it on the ground. She had a quick look at her torso. The bandage was still tightened around her back and chest. It was clean except for some bloody fingertips around the sides. She pulled the jacket back on. She had seen enough blood for a while.

A shiver went down Ella's spine as she though back to the moment when Oin had to cut her open. How she wished that they had given her some painkillers. Ella sighed and sat down on the soft green grass. "Maybe I should ask Beorn if he has a sowing kit." She said to herself. "I can't just keep walking around in my legging and Fili's jacket."

Ella picked a flower from the grass and it bloomed while she held it in her hand. "Ha! Would ya look at that?! Bibbidi-bobbidi-booh." She said smiling and looked at the small flower between her fingers. Ella picked another flower and it did exactly the same. "Higitus Figitus!" She said pulling the third one. "Alright, I'm all out of spells." Ella said laughing to herself. "And I have now OFFICALLY been watching way to many Disney movies!"

**XxX**

She stood up and started walking again. She didn't know how far she went but for a moment she didn't care. It was to pretty and peaceful. She knew that they would leave tomorrow but something didn't feel right. Being so close to Erebor and the end of the quest should make her feel better but it didn't.

What would happen to her? What would happen to George? What would happen to her and Fili? Would she just disappear or would they live happily ever after and have the kids that everybody was talking about? And then they still had to go through Mirkwood and a bloody dragon! Ella didn't even want to think about that.

What was she supposed to do? She slammed her fist against a tree. An image of evil red eyes and sharp teeth flashed in front of her. Ella grabbed her head and collapsed to the ground with a loud groan. Her heart started beating faster.

"What the hell was that?!" She said to herself rubbing her headache away. Ella hit her fist against the tree again but nothing happened. "Something is really wrong." She said to herself and stood up. "I need some air." She shook her head. "Well not air." She said laughing to herself. "Maybe some cold water will do." And with those words she started looking for a lake or pond or a river.

It took about ten minutes for Ella to find a river. She pulled off her boots as she sat on a rock just above the water placing her feet in the cold water. The water felt so good that she decided to wash her hair. It was fat and sticky and all messy thanks to the fever and sweating. Ella pulled out her braids one by one. It took some time to get her twisted braids out but she managed in the end. Every braid was out of her hair except Fili's, it was the only one she didn't dare touch. Ella didn't feel like getting undressed. So she pulled her legs up and lay across the rock. She laid her waist against the end and threw her head in the cold water. Ella quickly ruffled her hair under the water and lifted herself on the rock again when she had no breath left. With a pain in her back she pushed herself up on her feet and twisted the water out of her hair.

This was the one reason why Ella had chosen to take short hair. It was a lot easier to handle then long hair. Ella pulled her hair in a messy bun and found a stick to hold it with. "They couldn't have given me my short hair." Ella said to herself trying to find the best way to keep her hair up. She had to admit that she was a bit out of practice.

When she finally found a way to keep her hair up the sun was about to go down and she thought that it would be wise to head back before the others would start to worry. "But which way is back?" She asked herself. "Shit." She sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. "Why does this place have to be so fucking big?"

After walking around for another hour she could see the house in a distance but the sun was almost gone and she remembered what Beorn had told her. "Stay inside or you will perish." Ella started running but remembered her wound and decided that it wouldn't be such a good idea and started fast walking.

**XxX**

When she almost reached the house she could see Balin looking out the door.

"Hurry up lass!" He shouted and Ella sprinted the last couple of steps.

"Sorry I'm late." She said catching her breath.

"No worries, lass. You're just in time." Balin led Ella to the room where the dwarves were supposed to sleep but Ella stopped in the doorframe and shook her head.

George was running without a shirt on and held one of Kili's boots in the air. Kili chased him down with only a thin shirt to cover up his chest and trousers. Of courses Ella looked around trying to find Fili. She couldn't see him.

"Where is Fili?" Ella asked Dwalin. Dwalin pointed to one of their beds with a smile. Poor Fili was tied up again. Ella hung her head and laughed.

She walked up to him and sat down on the bed. "He got you again, did he?"

"That boys is a lot smarter then he looks, you know."

Ella laughed and lay down next to him.

"You're not going to untie me?" Fili asked.

Ella giggled and loosened the ropes.

"Where did he learn how to do that?" Fili asked rubbing his wrists.

"We moved to Tennessee when George was about three." Ella said with a smile looking at her baby brother. "About a year ago George started getting into rodeo so we went to a friend of ours named Bill. If you wanted to know anything about rodeo then you should ask him. He taught George everything that was to know about roping."

**XxX**

After catching George, most of them went to bed everybody except for Ella. Every time she tried to close her eyes the image of red eyes flashed in front of her. She went to the kitchen and grabbed some biscuits and walked back into the room and sat down next to the fire. The image of that foul creature wouldn't leave her mind but she couldn't see what it was. The only thing she knew was that they had red eyes and teeth like kitchen knives.

"Why are you still up?" A voice rumbled behind her. Ella turned her head and saw Thorin standing with his arms across his chest.

"Can't sleep." She said soft.

"More nightmares?" Thorin asked at placed himself next to her.

"How do you know about my nightmares?" Ella asked surprised.

"We can all hear you scream and cry at night, Ella." Thorin said. "So what was this one about?"

Ella didn't know whether to tell him or not. She didn't want to make him worry but lying to him would do none of them good.

"It's this image that keeps flashing in my head." Ella said looking to the floor. "Its eyes are evil and as red as blood. Its teeth look like newly sharpened knives and every time I close my eyes it returns. I hoped maybe some night food would help."

Thorin let out a low chuckle. "There is no need to worry." He said looking at her. "As long as we are on the path we will be safe."

"I sure hope so." Ella said with a smile. "And Gandalf could always fight off the evil creatures that would run around."

Thorin gave her a confused look and then remembered that he hadn't told her yet. "Ella, Gandalf is not coming with us."

"What?!" Ella shouted and looked around making sure that she didn't wake anyone. "Why?!" She hissed.

"He has other business to attend to in the east."

"But he can't leave us!" Ella almost shouted again. "We still have to fight that bloody dragon!"

"We will find another way. We still have master Baggins on our side." Thorin said trying to calm her down.

"Why am I always the one to know things last!" Ella growled and stood up ignoring the pain.

"Ella where are you going?!" Thorin shouted in a whisper. "You can't go outside!"

"I'm not going outside!" Ella hissed. "I am going to have a talk with our wizard!"

"In the middle of the night?" Thorin asked trying to hid his amused smile.

"Yes!" Ella growled. "I don't care what time it is!"

Ella stomped through the room waking every member of the company in her way.

"What's going on?" Balin asked Thorin.

"She's going to talk to Gandalf." Thorin answered rubbing his eyes.

"I see that she reacted as we expected." Balin said with a sigh.

"Worse." Thorin growled and went back to bed. Going after Ella wouldn't do anyone any good.

**XxX**

Ella broke down Gandalf's door. Gandalf just ignored her and turned around. "It is to early, my Lady. Go back to sleep."

"Not until I get my answers!" Ella growled slamming the door shut. "I want to know why you are leaving us!"

Gandalf sat up on the bed and moved his hand through his hair. "I have other business to attend to in the east."

"What kind of business?!" Ella asked with clenched teeth and hands in a fist.

"That is none of you concern." Gandalf said trying to calm her down.

"It's the counsel and Saruman, isn't it?!"

Gandalf tilted his head. "How do you know of Saruman the White?"

_Shit! _Ella thought, "I just do." She said quickly. "Look Gandalf I just want to know. I can't take care of thirteen dwarves, a hobbit, George and worry about you at the same time!"

"You should not worry about me I know what I'm doing." Gandalf said placing a hand on her shoulder. "But there are forces we do not yet understand and that is why I must leave you. There are some things that I have to do for myself for this is not my quest but it is theirs." Ella knew that Gandalf was right. He was always right in the end. "Now go back to sleep, you will need enough energy for your journey tomorrow."


	31. Leaving Beorn's Hall

"…_They don't want you!"  
"…You're useless!"  
"… It's all your fault!"_

"…_They don't need you!"_

_Ella was in complete darkness. She covered her ears from the hissing voices._

"…_You are going to lead them into their graves!"_

"…_Just like you led George into his!"_

"…_He never wanted you to come!"  
"…You should have stayed in Rivendell!"_

"… _Do you really believe he loves you?!"_

"…_You're nothing but an object to them!"_

"…_He doesn't love you!"_

Ella screamed when blood red eyes and sharp teeth flashed through her head.

XxX

Ella gasped for air but was pinned down. "Let me go!" Ella screamed struggling until she saw Fili sitting on top on her. "Holy… Shit!" Ella said rubbing her face and she let out a long breath. "Nightmare again?" He asked with a sigh. Ella just nodded biting her lower lip. Fili left go of her arms but didn't move from her waist and kissed her. Ella's eyes widened. "What was that for?" She asked with a smile. "That to calm you from your nightmare." He said moving her bangs out of her face..

"Oh God, please don't say that I did that." Ella said pointing at Fili's black eye hoping to change the subject. Fili just chuckled and leaned over her. "Mother of hell, I did!" "Don't worry about it. It's not that bad." He said with a teasing smile. "Why are you smiling?!" Ella almost shouted. "I gave you a bla-" Ella was interrupted when Fili pushed their lips together again.

Ella grabbed a hand full of Fili's blond mane and pulled him closer. The kiss grew deeper and deeper and he slid his tongue into her mouth causing Ella to yelp in surprise. Fili moved his hand down her side and held on to her waist. Ella moaned in pleasure, which caused Fili to chuckle under their kiss. "Mine." Fili said not letting her go. "All mine." He grabbed under Ella's knee and pulled her leg closer.

"You guys know we're leaving right? Everybody is waiting for you." George said with his small arms crossed around his chest standing again the wall. "I'm sure that they can wait five more minutes." Ella said under her breath holding up her hand but she never letting go of Fili's lips. "I'm telling Thorin if you don't come now." George said with a warning tone. Ella just ignored him and pulled Fili's collar. "THORIN!" George yelled. "FILI AND ELLA ARE-" "Alright! We're coming!" Ella barked to George.

XxX

"Why can't they just let us be for five minutes?" Ella asked while Fili handed her her shirt. Ella first put in her right arm and then pulled it over with her left arm. She wouldn't risk the wound in her arm and shoulder to open again. "Wait! What the hell?" Ella said trying to look at her back. Some one had fixed her shirt with lases. "Who fixed it?" She asked Fili. "Beorn did." Fili said smiling. "He saw you walking around with my coat and told me that I would need it for the journey so he tried to fix it the best he could." "Aww, that so sweet of him but maybe he could just use a needle and thread next time. Could you tie the back?"

Ella held up her hair while Fili closed the back. "Why are your braids out of your hair?" Fili asked. "Oh right, I forgot to ask you. Well I thought that it would be a good idea to wash my hair again before we continued because I don't think that that will happen again anytime soon. So I took out some of the braids." Ella pulled her hair over her shoulder. "Don't worry Fili. I didn't take your braid out." "Good." Fili said and grabbed her hand. "Now let's go."

XxX

"Wait!" Ella shouted when everybody jumped on their ponies. "Ella be quiet and get on your pony." Thorin said annoyed. "No!" Ella said. "I'm not leaving without saying goodbye to Beorn." With that Ella turned on her heals and started looking for him.

She found him after fifteen minutes. He was sitting on a bench in from a giant oaken tree. "There you are!" Ella said with a smile. "I've been looking for you everywhere!" She said dramatically. Beorn didn't look at her. He just enjoyed the morning sun on his hairy face. "I came to say thank you." Ella said with a smile. Beorn opened his eyes and looked at the small woman in front of him "For what?" He asked with his deep voice. "For everything." Ella said. "For letting us stay in your home for these last couple of days. I know it was longer then you would have wanted and I blame myself for that but you took care of us anyways, so thanks. And of course for fixing my shirt."

Ella heard voices behind her shouting her name and telling her to hurry. Ella took a deep breath. "It has been an honor to have met you, Master Beorn." Ella said bowing a little. "I'm sure that we will meet again soon and I am forever at your service." Beorn stood up and patted her head. "I am sure we will, little earthling." Beorn said. "Now of you go!" Ella quickly hugged his leg and ran back waving her hand. "Bye Beorn! Take care of the animals. I want that dog once we've reclaimed Erebor!" Beorn chuckled. "Be careful and remember what I have told you! Stay on the path!" "I will!" Ella yelled and ran back.

XxX

The company had only been traveling a couple of hours when Ella's back started to hurt again. Thanks to Oin, Ella hadn't gotten her own pony. She was sharing a pony with George. She was happy to ride with him but she wanted to ride with Fili but he had to carry her bags on his pony. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and never let him go but George would do to. The fear of losing him was even higher.

George and Ella rode up front between Thorin and Dwalin. According to Thorin, the chance of them riding off the path was 'high'. After all they had been through, Ella thought that Thorin had learned to trust her but it felt like he didn't. Not yet. Ella wanted to prove it to him and she would when she would find the right moment.

XxX

"I'm bored!" George whined in front of Ella after a couple of hours on their pony. "And hungry and thirsty and tired!" "Stop whining." Ella said annoyed. "My back started hurting hours ago and you don't hear me complaining." "Are we there yet?" George kept on whining. Thorin didn't respond. "Thorin… ARE WE THERE YET?!" "No." Thorin said. "If we're lucky we'll make it to Mirkwood by tomorrow afternoon." "What?" George said. "You can't be serious! I can't stay on a horse for that long!"

"Ella would you please make him shut up." Dwalin said from behind them. Ella rolled her eyes but then thought of something. "Why don't we sing a song?" Ella asked. "No, I don't want to sing a song." George answered. "But you'll love this song!" Ella said excited. "I promise." And she began:

"_There's a road,_

_Calling you to stray." _Ella began_._

"_Step by step,_

_Pulling you away._

_Under moon and star._

_Take the road,_

_No matter how far._

_Where it leads,_

_No one ever knows,_

_Don't look back,_

_Follow where it goes._

_Far beyond the sun,_

_Take the Road,_

_Wherever it runs._

_The Road goes on_

_Ever ever on_

_Hill by hill_

_Mile by mile_

_Field by field_

_Stile by stile._

_The Road goes on_

_Ever ever on!"_

Apparently the dwarves knew the song and started singing with her.

_The Road goes on_

_Ever ever on_

_Moor by moor_

_Glen by glen_

_Vale by vale_

_Fen by fen._

_The Road goes on!_

_Ever ever on."_

"_One more mile_

_Then it's time to eat." _Bombur sang.

"_Pick some pears,_

_Succulent and sweet."_

"_To the farthest shore." _Fili and Kili sang together in the back.

"_Take the Road_

_A hundred miles more!"_

"_Sweet pink trout_

_Tickled form a stream." _Bofur sang

"_Milk a goat,_

_Churn it into cream."_

"_Far beyond the Sun," _George finally sang with_._

"_Take the Road_

_Wherever it runs."_

"_The Road goes on_

_Ever ever on." _They all sang together

_Moor by moor,_

_Glen by glen,_

_Vale by vale,_

_Fen by fen,_

_The Road goes on,_

_Ever ever on."_

"_See the Road flows past your doorstep_

_Calling for your feet to stray." _Ella sang.

_Like a deep and rolling river_

_It will sweep them far away."_

"_Just beyond the far horizon_

_Lies a waiting world unknown_

_Like the dawn its beauty beckons_

_With a wonder all its own._

_Mountain and valley,_

_And pasture and meadow,_

_Stretching unending,_

_For mile after mile._

_Fenland and moorland,_

_And shoreline and canyon,_

_Bordered by hurdle,_

_And hedgerow and stile."_

George clapped in his hand and the dwarves cheered. During the song Ella had pulled their pony back and rode next to Bofur who had been playing the tune on his flute. "I must ask my lady." He asked. "Where did you learn that song?"

Ella's eyes widened. The song was from the Lord of the Rings musical but she couldn't tell them that. "Oh um… I heard it a couple of times and I guess it just… stuck." Ella said with a small smiled hoping that he would believe her. "Why do you ask?" "It is a song us dwarves used to sing when we went traveling around." "Oh." Ella said. "Well it's a lovely song." "Ay." Bofur agreed. "That it is."

XxX

"Ella can we sing another song?" George asked. "Well sure, what do you want to sing?" Ella asked looking down at him. "Billy Joe McGuffrey!" Ella playfully rolled her eyes. "Alright then." Ella laughed. "But I don't think that the dwarves can sing to that one." "We would still love to hear it!" Kili shouted from behind them. Ella turned her back as much as she could. "Alright but I'm not going to sing all of it. It's a pretty long song!"

"_Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid_

_On the first day of first grade, I'll tell you what he did_

_He tripped over a pencil box, flew up in the air_

_Landed on a kangaroo who pulled out all his hair_

_First aid in the first grade,_

_First aid in the first grade,_

_First aid in the first grade,_

_You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid._

_Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid_

_On the second day of second grade, I'll tell you what he did_

_He slipped on a banana peel, flew up in the sky_

_Landed on a chimpanzee who poked him in the eye_

_First aid in the second grade,_

_First aid in the second grade,_

_First aid in the second grade,_

_You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid._

_Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid_

_On the third day of third grade, I'll tell you what he did_

_He fell out of a fishing boat, splashed into the sea_

_Landed on a moray eel who bit him on the knee…"_

Of course Ella being Ella she sang the whole song, twelve chapters long! She sang another song and another song, until she was all out of road trip songs.

"All right I'm all out of songs!" She said out of breath. George sighed at the silence. "Are we there yet?!" He started whining again. "I'm still hungry and thirsty! My butt hurt!" Ella couldn't help but giggle. She knew exactly how he felt.

XxX

Ella screamed as the image of bloody red eyes and sharp teeth flashed in front of her. She grabbed her head causing her to fall from the pony but Bofur had caught her arm just in time. "STOP!" He yelled to Thorin and Gandalf as pulled his pony to a hold and lifted Ella from the pony holding her in his arms. He carefully paced her on the ground between the two ponies. "Maybe we should make camp." He said worried as Thorin came walking up. "What happened?" Thorin asked concerned. "I don't know. She scream and almost fell from her pony." Bofur answered worried.

**Sorry from all the songs and sorry for the late update but I had a writers block! It was terrible I can tell you that! But I have some ideas for the 'future' I just don't know how to get there yet… Getting them out of Beorn's Hall was terrible but hopefully the next chapter will be updated soon.**

**Ya'll know what to do so I won't have to tell you :3**

Hope you enjoyed 

**XxX KneelingAngel**


	32. Leave Me Alone!

Ella opened her eyes; she saw the stars above her and a campfire next to her. She felt two arms wrapped around her. Ella rolled her eyes. "Fili let me go." "No." He mumbled. "Let me go." She said more serious. Fili didn't listen and held her tighter. "Fili, let me go!" She shouted and pushed him away. "What is wrong with you?!" She growled standing on her feet. "What is wrong with me?" Fili said raising his brows. "I am not the one struggling in their sleep. I only tried to calm you down." "I don't need you to calm me down!" Ella snapped. "Apparently you do." He growled and stood up.

Balin came walking up. "What's going on?" He asked. "Nothing." Ella said through clenched teeth and walked away. "What happened?" Balin asked Fili. "I don't know Balin." Fili sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "She was struggling in her sleep again so I put my arm around her. The next thing I know she starts shouting at me and pushing me away." "I'll go talk to her." Balin said and put a hand on Fili's shoulder. "Don't worry. Go back to sleep."

Balin walked to Ella how was sitting a couple of yards from the camp. "What was that about?" He asked and sat down next to Ella. "I already told you. It's nothing." "You can try all you like, lass. But I don't believe you." "Then just let me be!" Ella snapped. "I don't need you to worry about me. I don't need anybody to worry about me! Just leave me alone!" "Lass, listen. We're just worried about you since you fell off of that pony." Balin said trying to calm her down. "We know you're scared and we know you're worried about Geor-." "You don't know anything." Ella interrupted. "The less you know the better." She growled and walked to the other side of camp. "And I don't need you guys to worry about me!" She shouted over her shoulder.

XxX

When Ella reached camp everybody looked at her. "Stop staring!" she shouted and walked past them. Fili was about to say something. "Don't!" Ella said pointing her finger at him. Ella walked away again but Fili followed.

Ella turned on her heels and looked him in the eyes. "What do I have to do to get some time alone?!" "You can start by telling me what is going on! What did I do wrong?" Fili asked. Ella let out a frustrating sigh and stomped away again.

Fili rolled his eyes and ran after her. "Ella stop!" He said grabbing her arm. "No!" She shouted and pulled back her arm. "Just leave me alone!" "Ella stop before you hurt yourself!" He said and grabbed her arm tighter. "I might hurt myself?! You're the one who's grabbing my arm and hurting me!" "If you tell me what wrong I'll let you go." Fili growled soft. "You worry to much! That's what's wrong!" Ella shouted pulling her arm back as Fili's grip loosened. "Everybody worries to much about me! They worry so much that I can hardly breath! What do I have to do to prove that I can take care of myself?! I'm not a baby anymore! If you have to worry about anyone, worry about George!"

Fili pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. "After everything that happened, how can we not worry about you?" He said trying to calm her anger. "Fili let me go." Ella said annoyed but he didn't listen. "Just let me be!" She growled. "GET OFF OF ME!" Ella pushed him away. "Just leave me alone! I can take care of myself!" "Fine!" Fili snapped. "You say you can take care I don't suppose that you will need me while we're in Mirkwood?!" "You're damn right I don't need you!" Ella yelled and walked away. "Fine!" Fili shouted at her. "Then don't come crying to me if something happens to you!" "Don't WORRY! I won't!" Ella shouted. "FINE!" Fili shouted. "FINE!" She shouted back and stomped away.

Fili stomped his way back to the camp where everybody looked at him. Ella and Fili had been shouting so loud that everybody had heard it. Fili ignored their looks and walked to the river behind them. He kicked some stones into the water before dropping himself against a tree.

XxX

Gandalf had heard the 'conversation' too. He couldn't help but think that something was wrong with Ella. She had been snappy all day and yesterday evening too. "I'll go talk to her." Gandalf said to the company. "Somebody should talk to the young dwarf." He said looking at Thorin. Thorin nodded his head and stood up and walked to Fili.

XxX

"Go… Away." Ella said with a threat in her voice. "I'm not in the mood." "I can see that." Gandalf said. "What do you want?" She asked annoyed as she felt the wizard walking closer. "To talk." He said wise.

Ella turned around. "Do I really look like I want to talk?" "No." Gandalf said honest and placed himself next to her. "But you have to talk to someone. And by someone I don't mean yourself." Ella just rolled her eyes and stared at a tree in front of her. "What should I talk about then?" Ella asked not looking at him. "Well…" Gandalf thought for a second. He didn't want Ella running of. "Maybe you could start talking about that fight." "It wasn't a fight. We were arguing. Those are two completely different things." Ella said biting her tongue. "There. Now you can be proud of yourself. You got me to talk." She said as if she was talking to a small child. "Now I'm done talking." Gandalf sighed. He knew that Ella was in no mood for small talking so he would just have to ask her. "Well then, in that case. Why don't you tell me about what is going on in your head?"

Ella jumped to her feet. "I will not talk about that!" "Ella." Gandalf said. "You know just as well as I do that if you don't talk about it then it will eat you alive." "Good!" Ella said. "Then at least it would go away!" "I knew that there was something" He said with a smile. "Now tell me about it." "You tricked me!" Ella growled. "I only wanted to know if there was something and apparently there is."

Ella screamed in anger and stomped her foot. The ground shook and the tree in front of her split in two. "Ella!" Gandalf said strict. "Calm yourself!" "I can't!" Ella growled. "Very well!" Gandalf said raising his voice. "Then you will stay here until you have calmed down!" "It's like you read my mind!"

XxX

Fili was pulling the bark from a twig when his uncle came walking up. Thorin looked at his obvious angry and confused nephew and sat down next to him. "Want to tell me what is going on?" Thorin asked and put a hand on Fili's shoulder. Fili didn't say anything and just kept playing with the twig. Thorin sighed. "Fili you have to-" "How can I talk about something that I don't even understand myself?!" Fili interrupted raising his voice. "One moment she is asleep in my arms and the next thing I know is Ella shouting at me!" Thorin sighed he didn't really know how to respond to this. "Maybe she is just tired." He said. "She has been through quite a lot these last couple of days. She has seen things and felt thing that she hadn't before. We mustn't forget that she is not from here."

"I don't believe that." Fili said looking at the ground. "I could see it in her eyes. They weren't tired or hurt but they were scared and filled with anger!" He threw the stick in the water and stood up. "I don't understand! What I did do to her to make her look at me like that!" "Fili calm down." Thorin said. "No! I will not calm down! I deserve to know! She has to know that she can't treat me like that!"

Thorin stood up and grabbed Fili by his collar when he tried to walk away. "If you want to talk to her, fine. But not now. You two have the energy of an army and I will not have you two ripping each other's heads off! Do I make myself clear?" Fili pushed his uncles arms away and walked back to the tree.

"Do I really worry to much?" Fili asked when his anger had faded. "Maybe we all do." Thorin said. "It is in our nature to protect our women but I believe we keep forgetting that she is not one of us. She doesn't know what it feels like but she will one day. Now get some rest. I want to reach Mirkwood by tomorrow night." He stood up and ruffled Fili through his long blond hair when the earth suddenly shook. "What in Durin's name is going on?" Thorin questioned and walked away.

XxX

Fili had moved back to camp but couldn't sleep and he had asked Thorin if he could get his watch.

Fili counted everybody's head. Kili, George, Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, Bifor, Bofur, Bombur, Ori, Nori, Dori, Oin, Gloin and Gandalf. Everybody except for Ella. He could see her sitting in the field talking to herself and watching the tree that she probably had split in two. When suddenly she grabbed her head, lay on her back in the grass and let out a frustrating sigh. He didn't know what to do at first. Should he go after her and see if she was okay? But he decided not to. If she wanted to be alone and take care of herself then Fili would let her.

He was still angry with her. He knew that she didn't want to make him worry but this wasn't helping. Fili could feel his anger curse through his veins. This wasn't his Ella. This wasn't the girl he had fallen in love with. He wanted to kill whatever made Ella shout at him like that but he knew that he couldn't without hurting her. That was the one thing he didn't want to do. It was that thought that had made him decide to leave Ella alone for a while. He didn't want to lose her, no matter how angry his was. He couldn't loose her, not when they were so close to the mountain.

He sighed and looked at Ella again but she wasn't there. Fili quickly scattered his eyes across the dwarves and saw that Ella was lying next to Kili and George. With a sad smile on his face he saw her falling asleep.

**Sorry for the short chapter but I have an idea and I just needed Ella and Fili to fight or 'argue' in Ella's words :3 Update hopefully soon. School is killing me :3**

Hope you'll still like it,  
You know what to do ;3  


**XxX KneelingAngel**


	33. Don't Make Me Go In There

The company made it to Mirkwood at the end of the second day. Ella and Fili hadn't spoken a word to each other. Ella hadn't said a word to anyone, as a matter of fact, which caused George to worry. The silence of his sister was choking him.

When they had made the camp and had dinner Ella had gone to bed after almost immediately. She had grabbed her bag and lay on the far side of the group. Kili noticed that George was worry.

"Don't worry, George." He said putting his hand on George's shoulder. "She'll be fine. She will turn back to herself soon enough."

"I hope that that is soon." George said. "Ella could keep this up for days if she want to."

"Come on, let's get to bed." Kili said.

"Can I stay up a little longer?" George asked him. "I just want to make sure that Ella is going to be alright."

Kili sighed. "George I don't think she want-"

"I don't care." George cut in. "If she won't let Fili look after her then I will have to do it. She might be my sister but she can't forbid me not to worry."

"Alright, little man. Just be careful." Kili said and ruffled his hand through his hair and walked away.

**XxX**

It was midnight and George was still up. He couldn't sleep when he was worried. Suddenly he heard something move in the bushes. George looked into the dark and saw a bear. The bear looked at him and he recognized the bear's eyes. "Beorn." George whispered to himself. He rose to his feet, looked around if anyone could see him and walked up to Beorn.

When George came closer he heard Beorn growl but he didn't move so believed it to be safe. "Hi Beorn." He said soft. Beorn turned and faced George. "What are you doing here?"

"Just keeping an eye out." The bear said. For a moment George was stumped, he had never seen or heard a talking bear before.

"Keeping an eye out for what?" George asked curious.

"My ponies."

George giggled. "Not us then?"

"Well, maybe only for you two." Beorn said and pointed his head at Ella.

"How long have you been following us?" George asked.

"Since yesterday after you left." The bear answered.

"That's amazing!" George said with a smile. "We had no idea that you were there. You must be light on your feet if Ella didn't feel you through the ground."

"I believe she did." Beorn said with his head low.

"You heard the fight, didn't you?" George asked Beorn.

He just nodded. George stepped next to Beorn. He hesitated for a moment but patted Beorn black fur.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" George asked.

"What do you think?" Beorn asked. "She is you sister."

"I think that she worries to much about me and the others. She always worries too much."

"Do not worry about your sister, little one." Beorn said. "She is an earthling so she has too."

"You're worried about her too." George said.

Beorn was quiet.

"It's okay." He said with a smile. "I won't tell anyone."

George talked to Beorn for another couple of minutes until he saw that Dwalin was looking for him. "I think I need to go." George said. "Maybe we will come and visit one day again."

Beorn chuckled. "Maybe you will." He said. "Now off you go."

George gave Beorn the bear a hug and walked away.

"George." Beorn said. "Take care of your sister. Don't make her forget who she is."

"I won't." George said strong and stepped out of the bush.

"Where have you been?" Dwalin asked with his arms crossed as George walked up.

"I had to pee." George lied.

"I'm sure you did." Dwalin said with a brow raised, not believing him. "Now come on, get to bed. We're leaving for Mirkwood in the morning."

"Okay, goodnight Dwalin." He said and gave the bald dwarf a hug before going to his bed next to Kili but when he stood in front of it, he hesitated.

After thinking for a moment George picked up his stuff. "And where do you think you going?" Dwalin asked him as George walked across the camp.

"I'm going to stay with Ella." George said. "I can't just leave her alone."

Dwalin thought for a moment and nodded. "Very well." He said. "But you shout if you see anything suspicious, ya hear?"

"I will." George said and walked away. If George wanted to take care of his sister then Dwalin would not stand in his way.

**XxX**

Ella opened her eyes. She blinked a couple of times before she stood up. A smile grew on her face when she saw that George was lying next to her. Ella looked at the dark forest in front of them. Something really wrong was going to happen. She could feel it deep in her bones. Ella looked back to George and sighed. She pulled his blanket up and stroked his head before walking to the river close to them, she could use a refreshment but she had to cross camp first.

By Ella's surprise some of the dwarves were already up and the sun was barely shining. "Morning." Bofur said to her with a smile. Ella was thankful that someone had spoken to her but she wasn't in the mood to talk back so she just gave him a nod and walked to the river, ignoring the eyes looking at her.

**XxX**

Ella splashed some water in her face and wiped it away with her sleeve before looking at her reflection. "This is just getting ridiculous." She said to herself in the water. "What are you doing?" She sighed. "I don't understand. Why does it feel so wrong?"

Fili's braid fell down her face. She looked at it in the corner of her eye but threw it back over her shoulder and felt anger rising. "Why am I so mad?" Ella asked herself standing up. She looked at the direction of Mirkwood before heading back to camp.

Ella's eyes searched for Thorin. "Thorin!" She shouted when she saw him talking to Fili and Kili. Ella walked up to him and grabbed him by his arm. "I need to talk to you."

"Ah look, she still has a voice." Fili said in an annoying tone.

"Alone." She said to Thorin and her eyes darted to Fili. "Please." She said trying to calm her anger as she saw him.

"Very well." Thorin sighed and Ella pulled him away from camp.

**XxX**

"We have to go around." Ella said getting straight to the point.

"We can not." Thorin said. "Orcs are looking for us so the safest way is the path of elves."

"No Thorin, please." Ella begged. "We can't go that way. We can fight off the orcs. I just have a really bad feeling about this."

"You are not the only one who doesn't want to take this path but we must."

"The eyes I see in my sleep get brighter every time we get closer to Mirkwood. Something terrible is going to happen. I can feel it deep inside of me. Please just listen to me. Maybe we can find another way."

"Ella, don't make this harder then it is!" Thorin said snapping a little. "We will take this path whether you like it or not! Now go pack you things, we leave in five minutes."

"Thorin, please!"

"No Ella!" He growled. "My decision is final! Now fill your skin before we leave." Thorin walked away. "_Everyone get ready to move out."_

Ella sighed and went over to pack her stuff. As she packed her stuff her hands started to shake.

"Are you alright?" Bilbo asked from behind her.

Ella looked over her shoulder. "Yeah." She said breathing in. "Why wouldn't I be?" The swung her backpack over her shoulder but hissed at the pain in her back. She had forgotten about her wound. "Stop looking at me like that Bilbo, I'm fine." She growled softly but Bilbo just kept looking at her. "Lets go. I want to say goodbye to Gandalf before he 'leaves' us."

**XxX**

"Now you must send back your ponies." Gandalf said to the group.

"What about that horse of yours then?" Ella asked annoyed.

"I will leave you here." Gandalf said ignoring her. "Remember what Beorn told you, stay on the path!"

"We will!" Everybody said before walking into the woods only Ella, George and Bilbo stayed behind before the wizard rode off.

"Are you sure you can't stay, Gandalf?" Bilbo asked with a sad smile. "You can't leave us alone with those dwarves. Who will take care of us if somebody attacks us?"

"Do not worry, Master Baggins." Gandalf said. "I leave you in good hands." He looked at Ella. "She will take good care of you. Now you must go before your companions get to far ahead." Gandalf placed an assuring hand on Bilbo's shoulder.

"Please do go." George said to Gandalf.

"I must, young master." He said lowering himself to George's height. "You will be just fine, little one."

George crashed into Gandalf giving him a hug. The wizard's eyes widened in surprise but hugged him back after a moment. George grabbed Bilbo's hand and they walked onto the path, leaving Ella behind.

"Please don't make me go in there." Ella said scared. "I can't do it alone. I'm not strong enough."

Gandalf place a hand on her shoulder. "You are." He said with a smile. "Just don't let your anger and the darkness grab you." He patted her head and jumped on his horse. "Maybe we will meet again before your journey ends."

Ella took a deep breath. "I hope we will." She said with a small smile.

"Goodbye now." Gandalf said. "Take good care of them." "

I will." Ella said and waved at Gandalf when he rode off.

She had only taken a couple of steps into the woods and she felt the air getting thicker and heavier. The dark leaves and branches covered the sky so there was barely any light. She quickly moved closer to the group and grabbed George's hand. She could feel herself panicking a little. George's hand tightened around hers.

"We'll be fine." He told her. Ella could barely see him but she could still see his small smile.

**XxX**

"We stop here for the night." Thorin ordered. "Get a fire going."

"No!" Ella shouted in the back of the group. "Beorn warned me about what would happen." The dwarves didn't listen to her and gathered fire wood. Gloin lid the fire but as he did an army of moths started to attack and riddle them. Ella grabbed George and she leaned over him together with Bilbo who had held his hand the entire day. "Stop the fire NOW!" She ordered. The dwarves closest to the fire quickly threw sand over it, killing the flame.

Ella looked up and let go of George. "What the hell were you guys thinking?!" Ella shouted to the group and walked up to Thorin. "I know you want to make it out of the forest as fast as you can and, so help me God, so do I! So I suggest you start listening to me when I say we shouldn't do something and we can all get out of this already miserable place in one piece!" Ella had forced her finger into his chest. She made her voice low, only for Thorin to hear. "I don't care if you are the king or not." Ella removed her finger from his chest, scratching across his armor. "I hope I made my point clear." She said with clenched teeth and walked back to her bag.

**XxX**

George had curled himself up in a ball against Bilbo, scared that the moths would come again.

"Don't worry." Bilbo said stroking George's hair. "They're gone. You're alright." George let out small sobs as Bilbo tried to comfort him.

Ella came walking up and pushed Bilbo off of George. "Get away from him!" She snapped and picked George up. Ella walked to their bed and put him to sleep before walking away from the group a couple of yard and sat on top of a rock.

Bofur helped Bilbo up. "What is wrong with her?" Bilbo asked concerned.

"The forest must be getting to her already." Bofur replied with a sad smile. "Hopefully it won't last long."


	34. Dark Water

Ella stayed up all night. Afraid that if she would close her eyes that the demons would come after her. Yes, demons. That's what she had called the images of red eyes and sharp teeth. Thorin had first watch but kept his distance from her. Ordering her to get some sleep wouldn't calm her down anyway. Thorin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

_I'm going to regret this._ He thought and walked up to Ella.

He placed his hand on her head. Ella flinched at the warmth; she hadn't felt or heard the footsteps coming her way. When she looked up and saw that it was Thorin she rolled her eyes and looked back into the darkness again.

"It won't show itself." She said as Thorin sat next to her. "But I know that there's something."

"You shouldn't let your fear get to you." He said.

"I'm not letting it get to me." Ella snarled.

"Then tell me why you're acting like this." Thorin said.

Ella said nothing and kept looking in the dark.

"Ella you can't-" Thorin stopped speaking when Ella grabbed his arm tight.

"They're looking at us." Ella said with her eyes wide.

Thorin looked at the woods when Ella buried her face in his arm. She was scared and he understood why when he could see eyes, deep within the forest, looking at them.

Thorin softly stroked her hair as he felt her shake. "They won't hurt us." He said trying to comfort her. "They are probably more scared of us then we are of them and as long as we stay on the path they wont hurt us."

Ella didn't move from his arm but held on even tighter.

"Are they the same eyes?" Thorin asked her.

Ella knew what he meant and nodded.

Thorin took a beep breath and exhaled. "Let's go and try to get some sleep." He said as if he spoke to a child. "Does that sound like a plan?" Ella nodded again but didn't let go of his arm so Thorin just remained seated.

XxX

When Ella's grip loosened and her breathing had become deeper Thorin picked her up in his arms, before walking to her bedroll Thorin kicked Balin against his foot waking him for his watch. Thorin put Ella down and removed some locks out of her face and placed his coat around her before he head for his own bed.

"How is she?" Balin asked.

"She is scared." Thorin said worried. "We have only been in these woods for a day and the darkness is already pulling at her."

XxX

Ella opened her eyes when something tickled her nose. With a loud sneeze she woke fully and so did the others.

"Bless you." Ori said.

Ella sat up and saw that Thorin had placed his coat around her. She smiled for a moment but quickly lifted it off of her. She stood on her feet, grabbed the coat and walked to Thorin. He didn't even get the chance to sit up before Ella threw his heavy coat in his face. "I do not need you to worry about me!" She growled and walked back.

Ella quickly ate her some of her food and drank some of her water and started packing her stuff again. She was the first one to be ready to leave so she had to wait on her companions. Impatiently she tapped her finger on the rock that she was sitting on.

"Cut it out." Fili growled softly.

"Um… No." Ella said and tapped even louder.

The tension began to rise between the two of them before George jumped in. "Everybody ready to go. We're all waiting for you." He said to Fili.

"Oh, what a surprise. Everybody has to wait on his Royal Highness." Ella said mockingly and jumped of the rock bumping against Fili's shoulder. Fili grabbed her arm and pulled her close. He could feel her breath on his face.

"You do not talk to me like that." He said looking down at her in a low voice with clenched teeth.

"I'll do as I like." Ella hissed back.

"Ella! Fili!" Thorin shouted. "Let's go!"

Ella pulled her arm free, straightened her hair and turned around flicking some of her hair in his face before walking away leaving Fili behind.

XxX

After half a days walk they reached the black water that Beorn had warned them about. "_Do not drink nor bath in the water." _Beorn had warned her.

Ella stepped next to Thorin. "We need to get across without touching the water." She said. "This is the water that Beorn told me about. Anyone who touches it will fall asleep and if anyone drinks it they will never wake up."

"Then we find a way across." Thorin said.

"Fili!" He shouted.

Fili came running up to his uncle but not before 'accidently' running into Ella. "Sorry." He said sarcastic.

"Can you see anything of a boat or some sort?" Thorin asked rolling his eyes at the two 'lovers'.

Fili squinted his eyes and saw a boat. "There's a boat over there." He pointed at the boats direction. "But by the look of it, it seems to be stuck."

"Do you think you can throw a rope aboard?"

"Of course I can." He said as if Thorin had asked him a stupid question.

_Show off. _Ella thought straitening her clothes.

Gloin grabbed some rope out of his pack and tied a hook to it and handed it to Fili. Ella backed up a couple of steps making sure that Fili wouldn't hit her. Fili swung the rope a couple of times before throwing it to the boat. He missed and Ella tried not to laugh.

"Try again." Thorin said.

Fili pulled the rope back but stopped when the wet rope reached his hand. Ella rolled her eyes.

"Beorn said not to drink of bathe in it." She said in one tone and crossed her arms over her chest. "You're not afraid of some wet rope, are you?"

Fili growled softly and pulled the rope in his hands.

"Again." Thorin said.

Fili threw the rope once more and by everyone's surprise the hook landed in the boat.

"Now pull it carefully." Thorin said. "We don't want to loose that hook."

Fili started pulling the rope but the boat didn't move.

Ella had a sneaky smile on her face that no one seemed to notice.

"It's stuck." Fili grunted and pulled harder. Oin, Gloin and Kili lend him a hand. When Ella saw that the dwarves were pulling with all there might she looked at the bush and it let go. The four dwarves fell on top of each other and Ella couldn't hold her laugh anymore.

"Think this is funny?" Fili growled.

"As a matter of fact I do." Ella said smiling while helping Gloin up.

"Will you two stop it?!" Thorin said angry. "I've had 'bout enough of you both!" He said pointing his finger at them.

XxX

Bilbo stopped the boat as it came rushing through the dark water. "It's too small for all of us to fit." He said. "I don't believe it's strong enough either."

"We could take turns." Ella suggested.

"But how would we get across?" Bilbo asked. "We may have the boat but we cannot move it."

Ella turned her head to Kili then to a tree that hanged over the water and then back to him.

"What?" He asked looking at her.

"You think you could shoot an arrow in that branch?" She asked.

"Um… Yes?" Kili said not completely understanding her.

Ella sighed. "If you could tie a rope around one of your arrows and shoot it against that branch," She said pointing up at the dark branch. "And making sure that it stays there then we might be able to pull ourselves across."

The eyes of the dwarves widened in surprise.

"What?" Ella asked them. "Why are you guys looking at me like that?"

"Nothing." Gloin said. "The plan is just… Brilliant! It might just work."

Kili put another rope around his arrow and shot at the high branch and again by everyone's surprise, the arrow stuck!

"Who will go first?" Bilbo asked.

"I will." Thorin said with his deep voice. "I want you, George, Balin and Fili to go too."

The chosen one's walked up but Ella protested as Fili walked by.

"Why does he get to go first?" She nearly shouted. "What happened to ladies first?!"

"Ah yes," Fili said. "But that rule only counts for dwarves, men and elves and your not one of them." Fili regretted his words immediately but Ella's heart broke as those words came out of his mouth.

She was as much a dwarf as the others. Thorin saw that Fili's words had hurt her.

"Get in the boat." Thorin said and pushed his nephew in the boat. "Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dori your next, then Ori, Nori, Bifor and Bofur. Bombur, Dwalin and Ella will be last."

"Why am I always last?" Bombur said. "I don't like it."

"Stop complaining." Thorin ordered. "You weight is enough for two, so you will travel with Ella who's lightest. Clear?" He asked annoyed.

Bombur just nodded and off the first five went.

A tear slipped from Ella's eye.

"Don't worry about it lass." Dwalin said putting a hand on her shoulder. "He didn't mean it."

"Yes he did." Ella said wiping away her tear. "And even if he didn't, it still hurt."

"I know lass." Dwalin sighed and pulled Ella in for a hug.

XxX

Eventually Bombur, Dwalin and Ella were the last one's waiting. When the boat returned Dwalin jumped in first lending a hand to Ella which she took with a smile. It was the first real smile on her face that Dwalin had seen since they entered Mirkwood and took it as a good sign. When Ella was seated grumpy Bombur climbed in. It looked like Bombur and Ella had switched moods.

It took about five minutes before Dwalin had pulled them across the dark water. When the boat was close enough to the land he jumped out and stretched out his arms to catch Ella, who jumped not far behind him. Before Dwalin had even put Ella on the ground a deer, out of the dark, came charging for them. Kili shot his arrows at the deer but as it jumped over him and the other dwarves fell. The only one standing on his feet was Thorin.

Thorin quickly grabbed Kili's bow and an arrow and shot it in the deer's side causing its dark shadow to stumble back into the dark woods. Everybody cheered in victory. It wasn't to long before Bofur noticed that his brother wasn't cheering with them. "Where's Bombur?" He asked concerned.

"He's still in the boat." Ella said turning around but saw Bombur lying in the dark water almost drowning.

"BOMBUR!" Ella shouted and ran for the drowning dwarf. The dwarves and the hobbit turned to Ella's voice.

"LASS! No! Wait!" Balin shouted but she didn't listen. Ella stood knee deep into the water trying to pull Bombur up. The others quickly flung the rope with the hook to Ella and she quickly connected it with Bombur's trousers. Dori, Bifor and Thorin pulled Bombur out as Fili held out his arm for Ella.

Ella quickly ran to Fili but she started getting dizzy and stumbled out of the water collapsing in his arms. She was soaked to the waist but Bombur had gone al the way under. When the dwarves had finally managed to pull him out he was fast a sleep with a smile on his face.

"Are you alright?!" Fili asked concerned and a small smile appeared on Ella's face.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said as Fili let her go. Ella took a couple of steps closer to the sleeping dwarf as her legs began to shake and she fell to the ground. Fili quickly rushed to her and fell to his knees before taking her in his arms once more.

"Ella stay with me." He said as Ella's eyes started to close. "Ella!" He shouted. "Ella, look at me!" Fili shook her a little. "Ella! Please. Please look at me!" He begged.

Ella struggled to keep her eyes open.

"You have to stay awake, love." Fili said soft and scared. "I'm sorry what I said. I didn't mean it." But it wasn't enough.

Ella's eyes closed and her limp body now lay in his arms.


	35. Drowning

"Thorin!" Fili shouted as he lifted Ella's body in his arms and moved closer. "What do we do?" He asked as he placed her down next to Bombur.

"Elly!" George said rushing to his sister but Kili grabbed him around his waist. Oin checked to see if they were breathing.

"Bombur seems to be fine." He said looking at Bofur and Bifor but his face frowned as he placed his hand over Ella face. He moved his hand right under her nose but barely felt her breathing. Oin quickly moved a hand to her wrist where he could feel a small yet weak heartbeat.

"She's barely breathing and her heart rate is low." Oin said trying not to choke on his words.

"But how?" Fili asked concerned. "She was only wet from the waist."

"I don't know." Oin said. "But we need to keep her warm and hope for the best."

XxX

The company had walked many miles carrying Ella and Bombur. Ella wasn't so heavy so one dwarf could carry her but four dwarves had to carry Bombur. Thankfully George had gone to boy scouts and showed the dwarves an easy way to carry him. They had covered Ella up the best they could. She wore Fili's coat and she had Thorin's coat wrapped around her, she even wore Bofur's hat and had Ori's mittens on her hands.

"We camp here." Thorin groaned as he and three others put Bombur down.

Fili had carried Ella since she fell unconscious, afraid that if he would let her go that she would disappear. He placed her down pulling an extra blanket over her. A heavy hand rested on Fili's shoulder.

"Let me have another look at her." Oin said and Fili took a couple of steps back.

XxX

"_Get her!"_

_Ella ran away as fast as she could across the street and into the abandon water factory. _

_She ran up the many stairs and through the halls. _

_She could hear the group of guys catching up with her and was pulled back by her hair. _

"_Aw!" She screamed. "Let me go!" Ella was pushed against a wall._

"_Your beloved brother has something that belongs to us." Mitchel said._

_He pulled her by her hair. "Where is it?!"_

_She took a deep breath and gathered her courage._

"_I know nothing!" She growled and kicked him between the legs_

"_You little bitch! Get back here!" _

_Ella didn't listen and just kept on running. _

_She could feel her blood pumping through her ears and the more she panicked._

_The path in front of her parted into two directions._

_She quickly looked to her right but ran left and down the stairs to the basement._

_She walked down as fast as her legs could go and hid behind a giant pillar._

_Ella leaned back against the pillar and slid down covering her mouth from her loud breathing._

XxX

Fili and Kili were lying next to Ella and George, of course, had found a way to squeeze himself between Kili and his sister. Fili and Kili both had an arm around her trying to give her as much heat a possible since they couldn't make a fire. Fili buried his face in her hair. It felt good having her so close to him again but he only wished that it could have been for a different reason.

XxX

"_Where did she go?!" Don asked. _

"_Don't know! What do we do Keith?" Brad asked.  
"We split up!" Keith order. "Mitchel, Don. You go down while Brad and I go up. You yell if you find her!"_

_Ella started to breath faster as she heard them walking down. Biting her tongue forcing herself to stay quite. _

_She closed her eyes as if it would make her invisible. _

_Two strong arms wrapped around her and Ella let out a loud scream._

"_Did you really think you could hide from us?" Don asked laughing and covered her mouth but still held one hand across her waist._

_Ella bit in his hand. "Get your filthy hands off of me you bastard!" _

"_And what are you going to do if we don't?" Michel asked with an evil smile on his face as he moved closer to Ella._

"_Keith!" He shouted. "We found her."_

_The other two came jumping and sliding off of the stairs._

"_Not very good at hiding, I see." Keith said and walked closer._

"_Now, are you ready to tell me what I want to know?"_

"_I might not be very good at hiding but I sure as hell know how to hold my tongue." She growled._

_Keith moved his face closer to hers. "You'll scream out what I want to know when I'm done with you."_

_He licked her lips and smirked._

_A shiver went down Ella's spine, her heart started beating with a panic and she started struggling._

XxX

The company had walked for almost four days. They had no more water and no more food left. Bombur had woken and kept talking about his dream full of food and feasts but he couldn't remember anything that had happened over the last few weeks. His last memory was of Bag End.

All of the sudden Ella struggled in Thorin's arms.

"Oin!" He shouted and put her down. Oin came running us with the others behind him.

"What happened?" He asked as he moved his hand closer to her forehead.

"I don't know." Thorin said. "She was a sleep-"

Ella screamed when Oin laid his hand against her. Oin quickly moved back and Ella slowly turned back to her normal sleeping state.

"She doesn't look good." Ori said.

"No." Oin said. "But at least we know that she's getting better and that she has enough strength to struggle. I don't believe it will take much longer before she wakes up."

XxX

_Ella was thrown into dark room and not long after Keith came walking in._

"_Bella, was it?" He asked._

_"Ella." She said._

"_What?"_

_"My name is Ella." She growled soft. _

_Keith smirked and moved closer. "Well then, EL-LA, last chance. Tell me what I want to know and I won't hurt you."_

"_You really are deaf, aren't you?" Ella snarled. "I already told you: I DON'T KNOW!"_

_"To bad, for you." He said touching Ella's face. "Because now I'll have to make you."_

His hand moved towards the back of her head and he pushed his lips against her with a force and his free hand moved up Ella's shirt as she was pushed against the wall.

_Ella bit his lip so hard that his blood ran in her mouth._

"_OW!" He shouted._

_Ella spit on the ground._

"_You little BITCH!" He grabbed her wrists and she started struggling again._

"_I'm going to enjoy this."_

_Ella pulled her arm free and hit him in the face with a fist_

_He struggled back and fell to the floor but he stood up and wiped the blood off of his lip._

"_You are going to regret that." He laughed out of breath._

"_Make me." Ella growled._

"_As you wish princess." He said bowing and walked out the door._

"_Lock her up boys." She heard Keith say on the other side. "Let's see how long she can stay there before she starves."_

_Keith stuck his head through the door one last time._

"_Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked with an evil smile. "I'm much better company then the dark."_

_Ella said nothing and just looked at him with a dark stare._

"_Very well." He said. "You know who to shout for when you want to talk." He chuckled._

_With a slam he closed the door and locked it._

_Ella ran to the door._

"_Keith! Let me out!" She shouted and hammered her fists against the door. _

"_This isn't funny! Now let me out!" she ordered. _

"_I already told you that I didn't know anything! Fight it out with Jim! Leave me out of it! Just let me go!"_

_The darkness started to close in on her. _

_Ella fell to her knees and lay on the ground ignoring the loud banging outside._

_Ella tried to close her eyes but opened them as she felt water rising under her._

_It had already risen to her ankles and she panic. _

"_Keith let me out!" She shouted. _

"_Please the water is rising! You have to believe me I don't know! Please… Please just let me out! I'll do what ever you want just let me out!"_

_She hammered her fists at the door again when the water reached her knees. _

_She realized that Jim's 'friends' weren't there anymore and she started to panic even more._

"Somebody help!" She cried.

_She took a couple of steps back and threw herself at the door._

"_Somebody open the door!"_

"_Ell?!" A voice came._

_Ella's eyes widened._

_"Jimmy?!" she shouted. "I'm in here!"_

_Ella looked down and saw that the water had reached just below her hips. __"Jim hurry! The water is rising fast!"_

"_Ella! Ella I need you to stay calm and listen to me!" He said on the other side of the door. "Keith and the gang wrecked on of the old water tanks! The building in flooding!"_

_Ella could hear Jim grunt from the other side of the door as he tried to push it open. _

_She tried to pull the door, hoping that it would help but it didn't move._

_"Ella, we can't open it!" Jim said with a panic in his voice. "I'm gonna go and get some help and I'll come back!"_

_"No wait! Jim come back!" She cried. "You can't leave me!"_

"_JUST HOLD ON!" he shouted and walked away. _

_The water reached above Ella's waist when she heard sirens._

_"Ella?!" Jim shouted as he rushed back down. "Ella?!"_

"_Jimmy!" She hit the door. "Did you find some one?!"_

"_Yeah! I did!" he said panting. "A rescue team is heading down here as we speak! Ella I'm sorry I got you into this!"_

_"You fucking should be!" Ella shouted. "I want a fucking explanation!"_

"_I know!" He said. "You'll get one when you're out! I promise!"_

"_Ella?!" Her fathers voice came._

"_Dad?! Daddy!" She cried. "Please get me out of here!"_

"_It's alright, sweetheart." He father said on the other side of the door._

"_Please daddy, hurry!" She begged. "The water is still rising! I'm scared!"_

"_I know, honey! Just stay calm alright?!"_

"_Okay." Ella said trying to calm herself down but then the water started running in faster._

_"Dad!" she shouted panicking again. "The water is rising faster!"_

"_Ella just keep talking to me! We're almost ready! Hold on!"_

_The water reached past Ella's ears. _

"_I can't!" She shouted. "The water-!"_

_Ella took a deep breath and allowed the water to rise above her._

"_ELLA!" Her father shouted. "Jim get up stairs!"_

_"But dad-!"_

_"NOW!" He ordered. "Just hold you breath baby!"_

_Ella did as she was told but she couldn't hold on for long._

_She could feel and empty pressure in her lungs._

_She banged the door as hard as she could._

_She wanted to scream but before she could the water started to force itself in her mouth and the air escaped.  
_

XxX

Ella rolled on her stomach and coughed with all her might. She gasped for air and leaned on her elbows before coughing some more. A heavy hand rested on her back. Ella looked over her shoulder and saw a blond guy smiling at her.

Ella screamed and tried to get away but bumped into a guy with dark long hair and she fell to the ground.

"Ella?! Are you alright?" Kili asked and moved closer to her.

"Get away from me!" she shouted scared and crawled away from him. When Ella thought that she had a safe distance between them she moved her knees closer to her chest and hugged her legs.

Fili tried to move closer her. "Ella, it's alright."

"Who are you?" She asked scared. "What do you want from me?"

Fili took a deep breath and rubbed his face. "You don't remember." He sighed a bit heartbroken. The others hurried to them.

"She doesn't remember." Fili said almost in a whisper. He bit down his tongue trying to control the hurt that was flowing through his veins. The dwarves moved closer but Ella kept moving back.

"Stop." Thorin ordered them and looked to George. He placed a hand on his small head and George looked up. "Maybe you can calm her down?" Thorin asked.

**Well this was fun to write :3  
You know what to do so let me know what you think!**

XxX KneelingAngel


	36. Lights in the Forest

George had managed to calm Ella down a little or at least enough to let Oin have a look at her. She seemed to be alright but her memory of Middle Earth was gone. She didn't remember Bag End, the first night of the journey. She didn't remember the trolls or the orc chase. She didn't remember Rivendell or the stone giants or the goblin or Beorn's house. She didn't remember them. She didn't recognize Fili and it tore him to pieces.

Bilbo somehow was the only one, besides George, that she would talk to. He told her their whole journey but Fili had asked him not to tell her about them. Right now he was nothing more then a stranger to her but Fili would gladly start over if it meant that she would love him again. Ella still had his coat around her and Fili hoped that maybe it would bring back some of her memories.

"… And then you fell in the water." Bilbo ended the story.

"But how did I get here?" Ella asked. "I mean- how did I…Um… I mean how did we-"

"Die? We had a car crash." George said sitting next to her. "And then Fili and Kili found us and they took us back to Bilbo's place, where we met the others."

"So how long have we been in this bloody forest?" Ella asked. The dwarves couldn't help but smile as Ella waved her hands in the air.

"About four day." Bilbo said.

"And you guys already ran out of food already?!" Ella asked dramatically. "No wonder that they had me transformed into a earthling or whatever. Men. Couldn't live without a woman even if they wanted to." She said rolling her eyes.

"You mean dwarves." George laughed.

"Let's get moving." Thorin ordered. "I want to make it out of this cursed forest before we starve."

Bilbo and George helped Ella to her feet. "Oh, Bilbo?" She asked. "Who's is this?" Ella pulled the collar of Fili's coat.

"Well that would be Fili's coat, miss Ella." He pointed to the blond dwarf. "Why do you ask?"

"Maybe he would want it back?" She said with a smile and walked away. "I think I've borrowed it long enough." Ella took off the coat and went up to him.

**XxX**

"Hey." Ella said and Fili turned his head.

"Hey." He said and stood up.

"Um… I just wanted to thank you for letting me, y-you know, borrow your jacket or coat o-or whatever you want to call it." She handed it back to him.

"Any time." Fili said with a smile.  
For a moment she looked into his eyes and Ella felt like she was on fire. "Right." She quickly said and turned around as she felt her face blush.

Kili had seen her face and stepped next to his brother with a smirk. "Did you see that?" He asked Fili.

"What?" Fili asked with a smile on his face.

"Ella." Kili said. "She melted just by the sight of you. She's as red as the sweetest apple!"

"Looks like I still got it." Fili chuckled.

"She'll be yours again before you know it." Kili said patting Fili on the back.

**XxX**

"Is there no end to this goddamned forest?" Ella growled. "We've been walking for to many fucking hours!"

"Calm down, Ella." Bilbo said patting her arm. "Last time your temper started to rise you lost your memory."

"But we have no food and no water and I'm hungry."

"Ella," Thorin's voice came from the front. "Stop complaining!"

"I will not!" Ella barked back. "We can't see a damned thing so how do we know if were taking the right path and not walking in circles?"

"We're not!" Bilbo said quickly as he signed Thorin to keep walking. "I climbed in the tree yesterday and I didn't see the end yet."

Ella let out a frustrating sigh and kept walking. Though Bilbo had told her the story Ella couldn't help but feel like something was missing. Something important but she knew that if she would ask about it they wouldn't tell her.

It had grown quiet again except for Ella who couldn't help but to curse the stupid woods.

"Ella I know what will make you feel better!" George said jumping. "We sing a song!"

"No George." Ella said annoyed. "I don't want to sing a stupid song!"

"Yes you do!" George said and began to sing.

"_We're Titanic Tip and Daring Dash,  
__Adventurers slash explores!"_

Ella wondered how George could be so happy when everybody was so hungry and annoyed.

"What was that?" Balin said from up front. Ella snapped out of her thoughts and George stopped singing. "I thought I saw a twinkle of light in the forest!"

Everybody looked at the direction Balin pointed. Ella squinted her eyes and saw a red light beyond the dark trees. The light was in front of them but left of the path. The group quickly ran to the edge of the path. The light looked like torches and campfires burning.

"It looks like my dreams are coming true!" Bombur said out of breath. "Let's go."

"No!" Thorin growled at the fat dwarf. "Do I need to remind you what Beorn told us? He said not to leave the path!"

"But the feast-" Bombur said but was interrupted by the leader.

"A feast would be no good, if we never got back from it alive."

"But without a feast we won't survive much longer either." The fat dwarf argued back.

Most of them agreed with Bombur and they decided to send out some spies but they couldn't decide who, so the all decided to go.

"No guys." Ella said worried. "Something's wrong. We shouldn't leave the path."

Nobody listened and Bilbo grabbed her by the arm. "We have no choice." He said as they ran. "We won't make it out of the forest if we don't try."

**XxX**

The smell of the food watered their mouths but as the company walked to the feasting elves, they disappeared and the forest went dark. Ella stumbled over somebody lying on the ground. Ella didn't know who it was but they helped each other up and walked to the others. Ella felt hand grab her hand and another pair of hands grabbed her waist. Ella didn't mind. She didn't know who they were but the feeling of someone holding her waist felt comfortable, so she couldn't complain.

"Alright." Came Thorin's voice on her side. "Shout if you hear your name! Ori, Nori, Dori?"

Three yesses came from behind them.

"Balin, Dwalin?!"

"Ay!" The brother said together.

"Bifor, Bofur, Bombur?"

"We're here!" Came from in front of them.

"Oin, Gloin?!"

"Here!" came two voices.

"Fili?!"

"Right here." Fili said from Ella's side. She blushed when she noticed that it was him holding her by the waist.

"Kili?!"

"Here!" Kili shouted. "And I got George and Mister Boggins with me!"

"It's Baggins." Bilbo corrected.

"We got Ella," Thorin said. "That makes sixteen!"

"Now which way is back?" Ella asked Thorin.

No answer came from him because he didn't know. Nobody knew.

"There is another light!" Dori shouted. "And more of them then before."

Ella turned to the light not letting go of Fili and Thorin. Slowly they all crawled up to the fires. They had made a long line of dwarves everybody holding each other's shoulder. Ella still stood between Fili and Thorin ofcourse.

"No rushing to them now!" Thorin ordered. "We send master Baggins to talk to them first. They won't be as much afraid of him then of us."

They walked to the edge of the circle and pushed Bilbo in. All the lights went out and darkness fell upon them again. Nobody could see or hear the hobbit and they started to worry.

"Bilbo?!" Ella shouted. "Bilbo this isn't funny!" Everybody agreed with Ella and started calling for him. When they were about to give up looking, Ella found him. "Thorin!" She shouted over her shoulder. Little Bilbo was sleeping with a smile on his face.

"Bilbo wake up." Ella said shaking him. He didn't wake and just kept on sleeping. Ella shook him a little harder. "Bilbo!" He still didn't respond and Ella slapped him in the face. "WAKE UP!"

The hobbit jumped to his feet. "Why did you have to do that?" He asked rubbing his cheek. "I was having such a lovely dream about a gorgeous dinner."

It wasn't long after Bilbo had woken up that they heard harps and voices behind them. Ella turned around and saw another light.

"There's more." Ella said to Thorin and pointed at the fires.

"Come on." Thorin said and took hold of her hand once more. The dwarves ran to the light again and looked for a moment. Elves were feasting and having a laugh. Thorin signed everybody to stay down as he walked up to the elves. Ella could see that something wasn't right about them and ran after the king.

"Thorin no!" She shouted and grabbed his collar before everything turned black again.

**XxX**

Ella slowly opened her eyes. The blur in front of her eyes slowly cleared and she saw an elf sitting on a wooden thrown and he had a crown of autumn leaves on his head. Next to him stood a much younger elf. He had the same blond hair and piercing blue eyes but she knew him from somewhere. Ella ran through her thoughts, when her eyes widened in surprise.

_Legolas! _Her thoughts shouted. _Holy shit! _Ella thought_. He's even more handsome in real life then in the movies! _She stared into his bright blue eyes for a couple of seconds before they shot to the king. _Then that must be his father, Thranduil. Damn it! This is terrible! How are we gonna get out of this shit?!_

Ella turned her head and saw Thorin lying beside her. His hands were bound and by Ella's surprise so were hers. Ella sat up and tried to wiggle her wrist loose but it only caused the rope to cut into her skin_. _

"I wouldn't do that." Thranduil said soft. "Elvish rope is strong."

_Thank you Sherlock; tell me something I don't know!_

Ella ignore what the king had said and tried everything in her power to loosen the rope, blood started running down her fingers.

_Damn elves and their stupid ropes! _

Meanwhile Thorin had awoken too. The elven king looked sternly down at him.

"Why did you and your folk try to attack my people three times?" He asked.

_Well that's one way to start a conversation. What happened to Hello? _

It was quiet for a couple of moments before Thorin spoke. "We did not attack them." He answered with a small growl. "We came to here to ask you for you aid."

"Where are your companions, what are they doing here?" Thranduil asked Ella.

"We don't know." She said. "They're probably lost and looking for us."

"You do not need to ask her anything." Thorin said. "She fell in the dark water, she doesn't remember anything."

Thranduil raised a brow. "Is that true?" He asked Ella.

Ella nodded. "We were only hungry, we meant no harm."

**XxX**

Every question Thranduil asked Thorin would answer with that they were in need of aid.

"But what brought you into the forest in the first place?" The king finally asked. Thorin opened his mouth but didn't answer. "Very well!" Thranduil said impatient and waved a hand to one of the guards.

A large hand grabbed Ella's arm and lifted her up. "Thorin?!" She said panicking a little. "Help!"

Thorin rose to his feet but was pushed back on his knees by another guard. "Ella!" He shouted after her as the guard, holding Ella, struggled dragging her away.

"Let me go you son of a bitch!" Ella shouted.

Thorin slipped free from his guard's hold and ran to Ella. He pushed the guard away from her. "You need to remember." He said quick as the guards came there way again. "Try to remember and don't say a thing!" He kissed her head as the guards grabbed them. "It is going to be alright darling!"

"No wait Thorin!" Ella shouted as she was being dragged away. "Don't let them take me!" She tried to wiggle her way out of the guards hold. "Dad!" She cried, not knowing her own words. "Dad, don't leave me!"

"If you hurt my DAUGHTER, it will be the last thing you do!" Thorin growled as he saw a tear running down Ella's face.

**OMG! What have I done?!  
This was so hard to write but I did it and it was fun :3  
****Hope you guys enjoyed!  
****Please review, comment and all the other stuff :3**

**Update coming soon!**


	37. Think Think Think!

They had taken her weapons and Ella had been tossed into a room. It had a bed and a small nightstand with some food and water on it. Candles lid the room. Ella had crawled into a corner and hugged her legs. Thorin's words ran through her head. _Daughter_. She didn't understand. Was she his daughter? Ella grunted in frustration, as she couldn't remember her own memories.

"This is crap." She mumbled to herself fighting her tears. "Why am I always the boot?"

Ella took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. "Thats it!" She lifted her hand to the place on her head where Thorin had kissed her. She closed her eyes as hard as she could and searched for her lost memories. "Come on, come on, come on!"

"_I don't need you to worry about me!"_

"_They won't hurt us."_

_Ella grabbed Thorin's arm tight._

_"Ella let Bofur go. It was just a spider."_

_Thorin sighed and put his hand in her hair and held her braids in his fist._

_"I'm sorry for everything daddy."_

_"Thorin saved George."_

_"Do not challenge me again. I always win in the end."_

_Ella yelped as she landed in Thorin's arms._

_Thorin was lying in the claws of one of the birds, he was either unconscious or dead._

_Tears started flowing down her face as she heard Thorin shout in pain._

_"Going to find Bilbo and as far away from you as I can!"_

_"How dare you even say such a thing?!"_

_"We will not be seeing our hobbit again, he is long gone!"_

"_You can ask Thorin. I'm not a very good listener."_

_"SHUT IT GIRL! Or I will send you back to Rivendell!"_

_"Sorry father."_

_'How on earth am I going to get out if you two are in the way?'_

"_I'll go see if we can get a room. The rest of you help decorate. And George, you get your sister dressed."_

_Ella sat on top of him, dagger at his throat._

_Thorin suddenly swung his sword at her head and had caught one of her braids._

"_Did you really think that you could just leave me here?!"_

_Ella threw her ax at Thorin head but missed by an inch._

_"Outside is this way!" Thorin pointed in the opposite direction of Ella._

_Ella started crying and pushed herself into Thorin's chest._

_"HOLD YOUR GROUND!"_

_"WHO DID YOU TELL?!" _

_"NO ONE I SWEAR!"_

_"He doesn't know when to have a break, does he?"_

_"Ella put Kili down!" _

_She heard Thorin snore a couple of yards back._

_"It was wrong of me to yell at you."_

_"That filth died of his wounds long ago." _

_"YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"_

_"You're hurting me!"_

_Ella crossed her arms as she sat backwards on the horse._

_"Ella! You ride with me!" _

_"That is no concern of yours!"_

_"Let her go, Mosco!"_

_"There is breakfast on the table if you want some."_

_"Hope that answers everything!"_

"_Why did you do that_?!"

_"…Loyalty, Honor, a willing heart. I can ask no more then that."_

"_Thorin!"_

"_My name is Ella-Ryan. Or just Ella."_

_"Who are you? How much did you hear?!"_

_'Oh crap!'_

Ella grabbed her head as memories flashed in front of her eyes. She let out a painful scream and panted as she opened her eyes again.

"Three horses in a burning barn!" Ella said shocked. "I remember…" Her eyes widened in disbelieve. "I remember!" She shouted overjoyed. "I remember Thorin!" She jumped up on her feet and did her happy dance.

Ella froze and gasped. "Shit! What about the others?" She ran to the door and hammered her fist against it. "Let me out! I need to talk to Thorin!"

Nobody answered.

"Great." She said sarcastic. "This is bullshit." Ella started pacing around. "How do I remember? I need to remember! But how?" Ella was having another fight with herself. "This is just ridiculous! There must be a way." She started pacing quicker and in bigger circles, lost in her thoughts. "I touched the spot where Thorin kissed me and the images just returned so that means that…? This is useless! I'm never going to remember them! I need to find them! They could tell me everything! But why didn't they tell me everything?! There's something they haven't told me! But why? Why keep my actions secret to myself?"

**XxX**

Ella had walked so many circles that you could start seeing the tracks in the floor.

"There was someone." She said and stopped walking around. "Why would I otherwise feel so empty?! How could my heart feel so broken if there wasn't someone? But who?! How?! Why?!" Ella took a deep breath and started circling again. "Think… Think… Think!"

Ella jumped in frustration and a tear fell down her cheek. "Why can't I remember?!" She shouted almost crying. "Why can't I place the faces?! Why can't I remember the person I loved?! Why did I have to jump in the water?! Why am I crying?" Ella wiped away the tears but they kept coming. "Why is this so hard?" She dropped herself on the bed and cried into the pillow until she fell asleep.

**XxX**

A knock on the door woke Ella. "Go away." She mumbled when she could hear someone coming in.

"My Lady, the king wishes to speak with you."

"Tell the king that he can shove his wishes up his ass! The only one I will talk to is Thorin."

"I'm sure you and my father could make a deal for that." Ella turned her head and saw Legolas standing in the cell.

"I will not make a deal, Legolas! Now be a good boy and run back to your dearest daddy."

Legolas tilted his head. "How do you know my name?"

"I-I-I…" Ella stumbled over her words. "I've read about you." She said quickly after all they didn't know what movies were.

"I don't believe you." Legolas said. "When you first looked at me you recognized me. I could see it in your eyes."

"Like father, like son." Ella mumbled under her breath. "I still won't talk to your father or you." She said a little louder. "So don't waist you time with me."

"My father will not take no for an answer." Ella rolled her eyes at the elf.

"You father or you?" She sighed. Legolas just kept looking at her with his blue eyes. "Alright, I'm coming!" Ella finally gave up and as small smile came across Legolas's face.

**XxX**

"Enter." Came a voice on the other side of the door. Legolas pushed the giant wooden doors opened and softly pushed Ella in before closing the doors again. Thranduil sat on his wooden throne as if he hadn't moved. Ella looked around the room. Thorin wasn't there anymore, which caused her to worry a little.

"I did not know Thorin Oakenshield had a daughter." Thranduil said. "Tell me, dwarf, what is your name?"

"Ella." Ella said looking at the king. She pulled the bottom of her shirt. _Of course! I fall into the bloody water and forget all my memories but I'm still stuck with this stupid habit?! _"My name is Ella."

"Well then, Lady Ella." The king said rising from his throne and walked closer. "Tell me what you were doing in my woods?" Ella didn't say anything. "What were you doing in my woods?!" he said raising his voice when he didn't get his answer.

"I don't remember, okay?!" She snapped. "I don't remember anything!"

Thranduil chuckled soft. "Where are you from?" He asked. "You have a accent that I do not recognize."

"I'm not from around here." Ella said shaking her head. "I'm from Nashville, Tennessee, USA."

"So you seem to remember something."

"Look!" She shouted and pointed her finger at the king. "I have no time for your games! The last thing I remember is me and George stepping out of the door towards the car and me teasing him about his slumber party! The only memories I have of Middle Earth right now are apparently the memories that flashed in front of my eyes yesterday so forgive me if I can't remember what I did before falling in the bloody water!" Ella covered her mouth just in case she would shout the truth about the quest.

Thranduil raised a brow at her outburst. "Well," he said calm. "I thank you for this sharing." He snapped his fingers and Legolas came walking back in. "Legolas, take the Lady Ella of Nashville to one of the quest chambers. She will be treated as our guests." Ella turned around and looked at Legolas who looked a bit surprised. "Make sure that she is taken care of and My Lady, if you would like to dine with me this afternoon? I would like to talk to you again about your journey before you came to Middle Earth."

"Um… I guess." Ella said a bit confused. She bowed and Legolas offered her his arm before they walked out.

**XxX**

Ella was in her new bedroom. The walls were light and if had a huge soft bed in the middle. There was a woman there to help her. Vendethiel was her name. She had prepared a bath for Ella and she had lain out some dresses for her out on the bed.

"They are made for the children but we don't have anything else that was your size." She said annoyed. It was obvious that she didn't want to be a dwarf's maid.

"Okay, thank you." Ella still tried to say with a smile. "But you can go. You don't need to stay here."

Vendethiel bowed and walked out of her room.

"This has been the weirdest morning ever." Ella said to herself and pulled off her boots. She fell back on top of the bed. "Thranduil is planning something. Why else would he be nice to me?" Ella sat back up and stroked her hand through her hair but her finger got caught in the bottom. "Stupid long hair." She growled to herself. Ella walked into the bathroom that was attached to her room and looked for a comb.

Ella combed all the knots out of her hair before taking of her clothes and almost jumped in the bathtub. The water was warm, soapy and clean. Ella washed herself with joy. She couldn't remember the last time she had had a bath. Ella laughed at the thought but it faded a few moments after. Her thoughts drifted back to her fellow dwarves. Where were they? Were they all right? And George! Her lovely baby brother, all alone in those dark woods without his sister by his side. Ella quickly finished up and grabbed a towel. The water wasn't so clean anymore. You could barely see the bottom of the tub but at least she felt clean.

Ella wanted to grab her clothes but they weren't there.

"What the hell?!" Ella looked in her room, her clothes weren't there either. "Where the hell are my clothes? Damn." She sighed. "What was her name again?" She thought for a second. "Van… Ven? Ven-de? Oh never mind! VEN!" Ella shouted not remembering the woman's name.

Vendethiel came walking through the door. "Yes, My Lady?"

"Ven?" Ella asked. "Have you seen my clothes?"

"Yes I took them so that they could be washed."

_Bitch! _Ella thought.

"Do you need some help with your dresses?" Vendethiel asked.

"No thanks." Ella said. "You can go again. Just bring back my clothes when they are done."

Vendethiel nodded and walked out again.

**XxX**

Ella looked at the three dresses on her bed, a dark blue, green and white dress. Ella took the green one. Something about it felt familiar but she couldn't place it in her mind. She quickly dried herself and pulled on the dress. It was a little tight. She had to hold her breath to pull it in place. It was tight around her chest and hips and she hadn't even closed it yet. Ella turned her back to the mirror and tried to close it. Ella gasped as she saw three fresh scars across her back.

_Mental note: Ask about the scars! _Ella took the lasses and laced herself up as best as she could.

She turned around again and placed everything the way it should be. "I want my bra back." She whined to herself. "Lets just hope that nothing pops out." She pulled the dress a little higher over her chest and looked down. "Stay!" She ordered and someone knocked on the door. "Coming!"

**XxX**

Ella answered Thranduil's questions as short as possible; afraid that she might say something she wasn't supposed to. A little voice in Ella's head told her that Thranduil was up to something.

_Why would he otherwise treat me like one of the elves instead of a prisoner?_

"You are the first one to speak about what you know." Thranduil said.

Ella smiled _Wait! What?! First one?! _Ella's mind shouted. "What do you mean 'first one'?" Her eyes locked onto the king.

For once Thranduil froze. Ella saw his look harden and his jaw lock.

"You found the others." She said and dropped her fork in her salad. "You did, didn't you?"

The king still didn't move and Ella knew that she was right.

"Where are they? What did you do to them?" Ella took one last bite and stood up. "I lost my appetite ." Ella quickly said and walked to the door. She looked at 'her' guard and he opened the door waiting for her to walk through. "It was nice chatting with you, your highness." Ella said with a smile as her face brightened.

**XxX**

When her bedroom door closed Ella jumped in the air of joy.

"They are here!" She shouted overjoyed. "I need to find them! This is awesome we're all here! SHIT!" Ella shouted. "I still need to find them. How? I can't move with the guard outside my door. Think… Think… Think!"


	38. Please Remember Me

**A/N: Tried to make the layout a little different. Hopefully its easier to read like this. If not let me know and I'll change it again :3 Oh and thank you everybody for you 100 reviews! Can't believe the support I have gotten!  
Well here's another update :3 Enjoy!**

Ella paced around, jumped on the bed, lay on the floor and banged her head against the wall. No memories returned and no ideas had popped in her head. She had been in her room for almost two weeks. After the conversation with Thranduil she hadn't spoken to him much and if they spoke Thranduil would ask about the quest. Vendethiel had brought her food three times a day and washed her clothes. Only Legolas came walking in when he had nothing to do.

The nights were hardest for Ella. She felt someone missing next to her and the feeling grew stronger and stronger and eventually Ella would cry herself to sleep without knowing why. It was on a late evening when something finally started to happen. Ella had taken yet another bath and was about ready to go to bed when suddenly she heard something. Ella grabbed her comb and held it above her head as a weapon and walked to the sound in her nightgown.

"Who's there?" Ella asked. She heard a noise but saw nothing. Ella sighed and threw her comb on the bed. "I'm going insane." She told herself shaking her head.

"Tell us something new."

Ella turned around in shock. Standing behind her was Bilbo Baggins.

"Bilbo!" She shouted and ran up to him giving him a lung-crushing hug. "I thought I'd never see you again!" She cried softly.

Bilbo smiled and patted her back while his face turned blue.

"Ella." He finally said. "I can't breath."

Ella quickly let go of him and straightened his clothes for him before slapping him in the face.

"Ow!"

"Where the hell have you been?!" She growled. "I've been worried sick! And how on earth did you get in here?!" Ella gasped and covered her mouth. "You used the ring!" She remembered the Lord of the Rings movie. "Why did you use the ring?!"

Bilbo's eyes widened. "H-How did you know about the ring?" He asked rubbing his cheek.

"I just do." Ella said calming down. "Sorry I slapped you."

"All is forgiven." Bilbo said with a smile.

"What are you doing here?" Ella asked sitting on her bed, legs crossed.

"Looking for you." Bilbo said. "I have been running around looking for the others as well."

"Did you find them?" Ella asked.

"As a matter of fact I did." He said with a smile.

"George too?!" She asked concerned.

"Don't worry Ella. He's safe." Bilbo said and placed a hand on Ella's shoulder. "You should have seen him in the woods. After you and Thorin went missing we we're attacked by giant spiders."

Ella's eyes widened. "S-Spiders?!" She asked scared.

"Oh, yes." Bilbo said as if it was nothing new. "Giant ones. Some of them even bigger then us." Bilbo faced Ella and saw her scared look. "Don't worry." He said calm. "We got rid of them. George at least killed two of them, the little warrior that he has become. Oh and I named my sword!"

"I know, I know… You called it Sting." Ella said with a smirk on her face.

**XxX**

Bilbo slept in Ella's bed. It was big enough for two anyways.

"Alright." Bilbo said when they woke up. "I'm off."

"What?" Ella mumbled still half asleep. "Where are you going?" She pushed herself in sitting position and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"I need to find an escape route." He said and placed sting on his belt. "With any luck we will be able to escape tonight during the feast."

"What feast?" Ella asked stretching.

"You have been up here for about two weeks and you don't know what is going on in the mountain?"

Ella blinked a couple of times. "Well maybe Legolas mentioned it once or twice but I can't remember. Guess I banged my head against the wall one to many times."

"You did what?" Bilbo asked laughing. "Why did you do that?"

"I needed to remember, Bilbo." She said. "There is this hole in my memory and it is tearing me to shreds."

Bilbo's face turned serious.

"You and the dwarves were no help either. You only told me half of my story. Do you know what it feels like missing a part of yourself?" Ella bit back her tears. "I have had so many sleepless nights and if I fell asleep it was through the tears. I was worried sick about everyone, which didn't make anything better. Of course I also have a king on my heels trying to buy his answer and a maid who would keep walking in and steel my clothes. Why won't you tell me the rest of my story Bilbo?"

Bilbo took a deep breath. "I promised not to." He said.

"That was the worst promise ever! But it is true then?" Ella asked him. "I did love someone before I fell into the water."

Bilbo just nodded and walked to the door. "Everything will be explained when we get out of here, alright? But for now I am going to disappear before your maid shows up with your breakfast."

He put on the ring and went invisible.

"_Just don't hit your head against the wall anymore." _He said. _"The last thing we need right now is an earthling with a fractured scull."_

Ella nodded and someone knocked on the door.

"_That's my cue. I'll be back tonight. Don't do anything stupid!" _Bilbo said and Vendethiel opened the door walking in with her hands full.

Bilbo quickly slid out as the elf closed the door behind her.

"What's this?" Ella asked her.

"Oh well, the king wants you to join the feast tonight. So I brought you some dresses you could try on."

Vendethiel put down the food on a table and placed the dresses on the chair. Ella's eyes widened as she saw beautiful dresses hanging over the chair. Ella walked to the table and popped a grape in her mouth. There was a strapless, dark purple dress, a red dress with thousand of laces and a gorgeous white dress. It had a two layer skirt and on the outer shirt a couple of sparkles that shined like diamonds. Its back was open but it was still held together by two laces and it had long pointy sleeves. Ella had already decided that she was going to wear the white one.

"Which one would you like?" Vendethiel asked.

"That one." Ella said, pointing at the white dress and took a bite off of a piece of bread.

"Alright." The elf said and grabbed the other two in her arms. "Eat while I take these back and we can start getting you ready."

"I really don't need a whole day getting myself ready, I don't care what the king wants." Ella said with her mouth full.

"The king ordered me to get you ready," Vendethiel said. " And when I get an order, I do it perfectly. Trust me My Lady. You need a whole day." She walked to the door and walked out closing it behind her.

Ella stood with her mouth open. "Did she just say that I was ugly?!"

**XxX**

Ella had eaten her food and Vendethiel walked back in with make-up, hairclips, perfumes, crèmes, soaps, shampoos, a pair of scissors, a couple of different combs and a pair of boots that would fit under the dress.

"Don't you think this is a little extreme?" Ella asked as Vendethiel walked into the bathroom to prepare a bath.

"No, My Lady." She said. "I promised the king that I would make you look like a pearl and I will!"

Vendethiel dropped in the different soaps and perfumes. The room smelled of rainbows and pink clouds, a little to sweet for Ella's taste.

"Now, My Lady." Vendethiel said. "I need you to get into the bath and stay there for at least two hours."

"At least? What no!" Ella said shaking her head. "I'm not getting in that pot of sweetness."

"Yes you are." Vendethiel said back. "You can either go in yourself or I will throw you in myself. Oh, I almost forgot. You need to put on this crème mask."

"Alright, alright." Ella sighed lifting her hands in surrender. "But could you open the top op the dress please?"

Vendethiel opened the top button of the dress and walked to the door. "I will be back in two hours My Lady." She said before she left.

"Sweet Jesus, what have I gotten myself into?" Ella asked her self as she let the nightgown slide off of her shoulder before stepping into the bath. It was nice and warm as always but the water felt more like jelly when anything else and it had a pinkish color. "It's like bathing in jam." Ella said to herself. She put the crème on her face and laughed at herself. It actually felt really nice lying like this and Ella felt herself dozing off.

**XxX**

After two hours Vendethiel walked back in and smiled when she saw the young she-dwarf enjoying herself.

"Like it?" She asked and handed Ella a towel.

Ella opened her eyes. "To my surprise, yes. Yes I do." Ella said with a smile and took the towel. She wrapped it around her and walked behind the screen in her room. She got all the sticky pink stuff off of her body and pulled a robe around herself. Quickly pulling on her underwear.

Vendethiel handed Ella the white dress and light brown boots for under it. The dress fit Ella perfectly. The way it stuck to her curved body looked perfect. It was like it had been made for her. The layers of the skirt were loose around her legs and it dropped to the ground. Ella put her arms in the sleeves and pulled it over her shoulders. Ella tilted her head and looked at herself. For a moment she looked more like an elf that a dwarf but it was only for one night so who cares?

"Do you need any help?" Vendethiel asked.

"Yeah, thanks." Ella said and stepped beyond the screen so that Vendethiel could fix the back. Ella turned around and heard Vendethiel gasp.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Nothing."

"It's just our back-"

"I know." Ella waved her hand in the air.

"Where did you get it from?" Vendethiel asked.

"Can't remember." Ella replied as the elf closed the back.

"Well then," She said. "Lets get to your hair."

Ella quickly pulled on her new boots and sat on the stool in front of a desk with a huge mirror. Ella had to sit on her knees or Vendethiel couldn't reach probably.

They quickly did her makeup. Ella had a little silver eye shadow, mascara that made her lashes even longer and transparent colored lip-gloss.

Then they moved to Ella's hair. Vendethiel first combed all the knots out of the upper layer, pulled the hair by her temple back and braided it into one long braid. Vendethiel then brushed the rest of Ella's hair. Behind Ella's right ear was the largest knot Vendethiel had ever seen. She brushed and brushed and slowly brushed the knot out. Vendethiel had brushed Ella's hair for about three and a half hour when something fell out of Ella's hair and onto the ground. Ella heard it fall and jumped off of the stool to see what it was.

It had rolled in the corner and against the wall. Ella picked it up and looked at the small bead in her hair. She looked at the fine engravings it had when suddenly she saw it spell a name. '_Fili'_. Ella's heart skipped a beat.

"My Lady, are you alright?" Vendethiel asked. "The feast is about to start and we still need to finish your hair."

Ella had tears running down her face.

"Um… Why don't you already go?" She said not looking up. "I'll finish my hair and I come and join you, okay?"

Vendethiel had a questioned look on her face when she saw a tear running down Ella's face.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

Ella just nodded and she left.

"Fili." Ella sobbed. "I'm so sorry." She cried as her memories slowly started to return.

She could feel his touch returning to her. They way he held her, protected her, talked to her. Ella could feel the touch of his lips against her again. She remembered how the met and how she had yelled at him when she felt the dark pulling at her. She remembered how he clamed her from her nightmares. She remembered him. He loved her and she loved him. Why hadn't they told her that?

Ella was forced out of her memories and thoughts when she heard a grunt and a body fall to the ground. Someone broke down the door and Ella jumped to her feet. When Ella wanted to see who it was, she was turned around and pushed against a pair of soft lips. Two strong arms wrapped around her and pushed against him.

"Please remember me." He begged.

Ella looked up and saw Fili's face.

"Please say that you remember me." He said and pushed their foreheads together. "I need you Ella, please. You can't do this to me anymore." A small tear rolled down his face.

Ella threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again pulling his thick blond hair.

"Fili." She cried under her breath and tears ran down her face once more. "My Fili."

She pulled him closer by his collar. Fili slid his tongue in her mouth and lifted Ella from the floor. She wrapped her legs around his waist and was pushed against the wall. A hand moved along her thigh and up her skirt as Fili kissed her neck. Ella gasped as Fili bit in her skin.

"That's the sound I was looking for." He said smiling and then kissed her on the mouth again.

**XxX**

They both pulled back for some air. They looked deeply into each other's eyes and kissed again.

"I'm sorry." Ella sobbed. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'm sorry for forgetting. Please forgive me Fili."

Fili put her down and kissed her softly one last time. Ella took that kiss as a yes.

"We need to go." He said and grabbed her hand pulling her away.

"What?" Ella asked as she was being dragged away. "Why? Fili what is going on?"

Fili stopped and picked up the bead off of the floor and quickly braided it back into her hair.

"At least you won't lose it this way." He said smiling and pulled her through the door.

"Fili? What are you-?"Ella gasped as she saw the guard lying unconscious on the ground. "Oh my God Fili! What did you do?! Where are we going?"

"We need to get to Bilbo and the others." He said running.

"Why?" Ella asked running after him.

"Bilbo found a way out."


	39. In A Barrel

When Ella and Fili finally reached the dungeons Thorin and Bilbo were helping the others dwarves in barrels. Fili quickly pulled Ella closer to them.

"Ella!" George shouted and crawled out of the barrel running into Ella's arms.

Ella picked him up and gave him a tight hug.

"You look really pretty." He said with a smile.  
"Aw, thank you George. You're the first one to say that to me." Ella said smiling and shot Fili a quick look.

"Where have you to been?" Thorin growled in a whisper. "I almost thought that you had been caught."

"There's no time for questioning, Thorin!" Bilbo said. "We need to get Ella in a barrel. George back into your barrel with Kili!" He ordered. "Hurry!"

Ella put him down and her jumped into his barrel before Thorin put a lid on it while Bilbo quickly told her about his 'brilliant' plan.

"This is just ridiculous! Are sure you thought this through well enough? It doesn't sound like a waterproof-" Ella was cut off.

"Ella lets go!" Thorin ordered and reached out his hand.

Ella looked up at Fili.

"Promise me that you will be right behind me." Ella said grabbing Fili's shirt.  
"I promise." Fili said. "Just make sure you-"

"No time for chit chatting." Bilbo whispered and pushed Ella off of him. "There is someone coming. Now in the barrel before they see us!"

Fili gave Ella a quick kiss before Thorin took her and he jumped into his own barrel.

"Now remember, do not shout or make any sudden movements." Thorin said and helped her in. "This is our only way out, do you understand?"

"Yes but wait." Ella said when he was about to put on the lid. "About what you said when Thranduil caught us-."  
"We will talk about that later. Now keep quiet!" He whispered and put on the lid.  
"Why does everybody keep cutting me off today?!" Ella growled but was silence with a bang on her barrel.

"_Sorry_." She quickly whispered.

Thorin jumped in his own barrel and Bilbo quickly put in some hay and closed him up. The voices were coming their way but then Bilbo realized something, there wasn't anyone there to close his barrel!

XxX

Ella sat in her barrel hugging her knees. It was too tight and the dress didn't help either. When Ella felt her barrel tip she had to bite her lips not to scream or yelp.

_Never again! _Ella thought when her barrelrolled over the floor. The hay in her barrel had managed to get stuck in her dress and in her hair. Then the barrel stopped.

"_Lets go boys!" _Someone said. _"I don't want to miss the feast over a couple of barrels!"_

Ella felt that she was being picked up and swung back and forth before she felt herself being tossed.

The fall seemed to last forever and Ella pulled up her knee to her chin trying to prepare herself for the hit. Worst mistake she could have made. The barrel fell into the water and Ella's knee hit against her lip splitting it open.

"_Damn it!" _Ella whispered and licking her lips. "_This was the worst idea ever!" _

The barrel started to rock into the water and Ella soon felt seasick.

_Screw you Bilbo! Next time I'm coming up with a plan! I am never doing this again! _Ella thought trying not to shout and pushed her arms against the walls, hoping to calm the rocking.

XxX

Ella had fallen asleep in her small and tiny barrel. *Drop* she wiggled her nose and slowly opened her eyes. *Drop* Ella sneezed and hit her head against the top of the barrel.

"Ow!" Ella shouted and rubbed her head.

She blinked a couple of times before she got used to the darkness and then she remembered. Ella fell back on her back and sighed.

"How long do we have to stay in here, of course he didn't say anything about that. I can't feel my legs! This is just getting ridiculous. How long does Bilbo expect me to stay in here? I want out! Do you hear me Bilbo, I won't-"

Ella was cut off when her barrel slammed against a rock and raced down the stream. Water started flowing in and Ella noticed that the rock had made a small hole. She tried to shift her position and held a hand against the hole, as the stream grew stronger and stronger.

Ella yelped and flipped as the barrel turned and crashed into the river's waves. She pulled back her hand and wrapped them around herself protecting herself from the river's blows. Water started to enter the barrel and she started sinking further into the river. Ella ripped a piece off of her pretty white dress and stuffed the hole hoping it would hold. By her surprise it did and no more water entered her barrel but the water had already filled half of it. Ella could hardly keep her head from the water as barrel lay on its side. She started to panic a little. Ella lifted her arms against the lid and tried to push it open but Thorin had closed it to tight.

"Shit." Ella said and spit some water out.

She tried again but the lid didn't budge and she smashed into another rock before the stream calmed down.

"Never again." She whispered. "Never ever."

XxX

The water was cold and Ella was soaked still stuck in her barrel, which was now almost fully filled with water. The last crash had caused another hole that Ella couldn't reach. She still kept her head up but had tears in her eyes. She almost drowned once she didn't want to drown again.

_Bloody Thorin with his bloody strength!_

Ella tried to push the lid open again but it didn't move. Her mind rushed for a solution she needed to get out now!

_That's it!_ Ella thought and took a deep breath.

She turned around making sure that her feet stood strong against the lid, hands clenched to the bottom.

_One… Two… THREE! _

Ella kicked the lid. Nothing.  
_One… Two… THREE! _

She kicked it again and she felt the lid move a little_. _Her eyes widened as she felt the movement.

_Last time. _Ella told herself when she was almost out of breath. _THREE!_

Ella kicked the lid with all her might and it fell off. Ella pushed herself out with her hands and raced up from the water gasping for air. She pushed her wet hair out of her face. It was almost impossible for her to move as her dress stuck to her legs.

XxX

Ella let the stream guide her and after about an hour in the water, totally exhausted, she saw Bilbo on the side of the river with a line of barrels. He was helping a growling Thorin out of his barrel. Ella swam with her last strength and crawled up the shore before she collapsed on her back trying to catch some air.

"Never in this fucking world am I ever, EVER doing that again!" She shouted out of breath.

She was freezing and hungry and tired and her lips had turned blue, not to mention that her dress was soaking wet and shining through a little.

Thorin and Bilbo ran to her as they heard her angry voice and helped her up. Ella quickly grabbed them both by the collar in anger.

"You!" She shouted to Thorin. "Don't you ever make me go into a fucking barrel that I can't fucking open myself!"

"And you!" Ella said pushing Thorin away and lifting Bilbo by his shirt. "Next time you have a plan, think it through!"

Ella let go of him and took a step back trying to stand on her own.

"Don't you two ever do that again or I will have both of your heads! Am I clear?!"

Bilbo and Thorin both laughed at the girl and gave her a hug. Ella hugged back, thankful that they were in one piece and breathing.

"Crazy bastards." Ella joked with tears in her eyes.

"Lets go find the others." Bilbo said patting her arm.

Thorin and Ella gave an agreeing nod and started looking for the others. Ella had pulled her hair in front of her chest and wished that she would have put on her bra but for once she was happy that she had long hair to cover herself up with.

"Oh course I had to choose the white dress." Ella mumbled to herself as she walked up to a barrel.

She slammed her fist against. "Anybody in there?!"  
"Is that you, princess?"  
"Elly! Get us out."  
Ella smiled at the voices in the barrel and opened the lid.

" Heya boys?" She said with a smirk. "Care to stretch your legs?"

She helped George and Kili out of their barrel. Ella had to carry George because his small legs were lifeless but Kili was at least able to stand on his own feet, with help of Ella of course. Ella put George on the ground next to Dwalin and Balin, who Bilbo and Thorin had found and she quickly moved to the next barrel.

"Fili!" Ella said happy as she opened the lid to his barrel and helped him out. "You look terrible. Are you alright?"

"No I am not alright!" Fili growled. "I hope I will never smell the smell of apples again! My barrel was full of it! To smell apples everlastingly when you can scarcely move and are cold and hungry is torture. I could eat everything in this wide world- but not apples!"

Ella couldn't help but laugh at her beloved.

"I love it when you're angry." Ella said with a smile. "You become very handsome, my love." She pushed the wet locks out of his face and walked away to help Thorin, Bilbo and Kili with the other barrels.

First they found Bifor, Bofur and Bombur, they were a bit shaken and soak but they were fine it was the others Ella was worried about. Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin and Gloin were senseless and looked like they were barely alive. They had to carry them closer to the others one by one and lay them next to each other, hoping they could warm themselves a little.

XxX

"W-We need to get s-some help." Ella said concerned and looked at her friends shaking on the ground.

The elves of Mirkwood had taken their clothes, armor and weapons. The only things they were wearing were their boots trousers and thin undershirts. The only one who had decent clothes was Ella though she could hardly move in her dress, as it got heavier and stuck to her legs.

"Lake Town isn't far from here." Bilbo said. "Maybe the men could help us?"

"Where is this Lake Town?" Thorin asked.

"It is not far from here. I found a path that could lead us there." Bilbo said pointing to a dark path.

"A-Alright." Ella said shaking against Fili. "Y-You guys go find some help and I'll s-s-stay here in the meantime."

"Ella you-"  
"No, Bilbo." Ella said raising her hand. "I will not l-leave them alone. N-Now go before I k-kick you guys over there!"  
Ella might be freezing and she might be stammering but her eyes were still fierce and a bit scary and Bilbo, Thorin and Kili rushed to the path.

"G-Go." Ella said to Fili. "I-I'll be f-fine."

"Are you sure?" He asked. "I won't leave you if you don't want me too."  
Ella let out a shaking laugh.  
"Will you j-just go?" She said pushing him to the path.

"Alright, alright." Fili laughed and faced Ella. "Promise me you won't freeze to death."

"I-I promise." She laughed as he walked away. "Just hurry back or I m-might have to break it!"

XxX

Ella had wrapped Nori's arm around her for some warmth. The dwarves didn't have much warmth but she didn't know what else to do. And anything is better then nothing. George was lying against Dwalin, who had a protective arm around him and had fallen asleep. Everybody was freezing and their lips were blue.

_Poor dwarves. _Ella thought. She had never seen them in such a venerable position; they had always been so strong and energetic.

After an hour of freezing everybody had fallen asleep and Ella wasn't far behind. The night grew colder by the minute. She slowly started to doze off when she heard footsteps through the ground. She tried to move but couldn't, her muscles we're frozen and she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Ella!" Fili shouted and ran to her.

"We're back." He said kneeling next to her and pressed their foreheads together. "You need to stay awake. The town master has a place for use."

Ella forced a smile on her face when he touched her cheek with his warm hand. Fili picked her up in his arms and pushed her against his chest. Ella groaned and look at her companions on the ground.

"It's alright, love." Fili said. "We brought help with us."

Ella looked at the group of men behind Fili and snuggled into his chest and sighed before falling asleep.


	40. Morning Fun

Ella woke up wrapped in a thick blanket and lay in a giant bed. With a sneeze she woke from her slumber.

"I think I'm getting sick." She mumbled to herself.

She shook her head, blinked a couple of times and looked around.

"What? Where in the world are-"

Ella flinched when she felt someone's arm tightened around her. She looked over her shoulder and found a sleeping, half snoring Fili next to her. She couldn't help but giggle when she saw how messy his hair had gotten.

Carefully she removed his arm and kissed his head before climbing out of bed. Her feet hit the wooden floor and Ella noticed that she wasn't wearing her white dress anymore; instead she wore a long baggy shirt that fell just above her knees. To tired to change she just walked out of the room, softly closing the door behind her.

She looked to the right and to the left. She had no clue which way to go until she heard some familiar voices. Walking to the right and down the stairs she saw Bofur, Ori, Dori, and George were already up and enjoying there breakfast.

"Morning guys." Ella waved and walked into the kitchen to grab some food for herself. She took her food to the living room where the others were having their breakfast. Bofur's mouth stood open, Dori covered Ori's eyes and George couldn't stop laughing at their reaction.

"What are you laughing at?" Ella asked George.

George didn't stop rolling in laughter but pointed at the three dwarves.

"What?" Ella asked them. "Why are you staring at me? Is my shirt shining through?!"

"No, no." Bofur said looking down. "Maybe you should get dressed lass."

"I am dressed." Ella said confused.

Bofur pointed at the bare legs.

"Don't be ridiculous, guys. It's not like you can see anything." She looked at George who had tears in his eyes from laughing.

"You can't see anything can you?" Ella asked him turning around.

"Don't turn around too fast!" Dori almost shouted and covered his own eyes with his free hand.

"You can't see anything." George said trying to hold in his laughter.

Ella rolled her eyes at the dwarves and sat down next to him.

"Ella." Bofur said when it was finally 'safe' look up at her. "You should put on your clothes before the others wake."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Well dwarf-lasses usually don't wear something so-" Bofur looked for the right word.

"Short?" Ella filled in for him and he just nodded in agreement.

"Don't be so ridiculous. This isn't short. Have you guys ever heard of mini skirts or hot pants?"

They shook their heads and something evil popped into her head.

"Well, it's jeans that go up to-"

"NO! NO!" The dwarves shouted quickly, covering their eyes as Ella pulled up her shirt a little. Ella couldn't stop laughing but decided that she should go and change. She had had her morning fun with them.

**XxX**

Ella carefully opened the door, hoping that she wouldn't wake Fili but by her surprise he wasn't in bed anymore. Ella fully opened the door and eyed the bed with confusion.

"Where has he-?"

Her question was answered when Fili grabbed her by her waist and swung her around. She giggled as Fili grabbed her wrist and pinned her against the wall. He closed the door with his foot.

"Good morning to you too." Ella said giggling. "Had a good nights sleep, I see."

"I slept next to you, didn't I?" He said teasingly and his hands moved down to her hips.

"I'll take that as a yes." She said smiling and lifted her arms around his neck.

Fili pulled her closer and started kissing her neck and collarbone. Ella had to bite her lip not to make a sound but a gasp escaped her mouth as Fili moved his hand up her thigh.

He couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction.

"You're such a jerk." Ella whispered teasingly.

"Maybe." Fili said looking her in the eyes and lifted her up.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and they turned a couple of circles before landing on the bed when Fili tripped over his own feet. He rolled over Ella and pinned her to the mattress.

"Bastard." Ella whispered teasingly and Fili pushed their lips together.

Their breathing and movements became faster. Fili carefully started to push Ella against the board of the bed and pulled off his shirt. He moved his hand up Ella's shirt and his fingers trailed from her side to her back and stroked up and down her scars. He pushed her up until they were chest to chest and their hips pushed together. He could feel her heartbeat through his skin. Fili desperately wanted to remove her shirt though he wasn't sure if she wanted that, but he wanted to know. He carefully pulled her shirt up, not letting go of her lips. A smile grew on his face when she started to help and he pulled the covers over them.

**XxX**

"Alright George!" Kili shouted in the garden. He had drawn a target on a tree. "Hit the yellow mark and you can have a cookie."

"You have been telling me that for the last 30 minutes! I can't do it!" George threw the bow and arrow at the ground and fell into the grass.

"Yes you can." Kili said with a smile placing himself next to the angry boy. "If you practice long enough you might become as good as me."

"But we have been practicing since you woke up." George growled soft. "I'll never learn how to shoot."

"Of course ya will George." Kili said ruffling his hair. "Do you really think that I learned how to shoot in a day?"

"No." George said grumpy.

"Do you think that Bofur learned to play his flute in two hours?"

"No."

"See! If you want to be good at something you have to practice. So pick up that bow and start shooting again. You can't be worse then me on my first day."

"What did you do?" George asked curious.

"Well," Kili said scratching the back of his head. "I almost, by accident, shot… Fili."

"You almost shot Fili?!" George asked with his eyes wide. "How?!"

"I was maybe a little smaller then you, when I got my first bow. Thorin was trying to teach me how to shoot but I kept missing the target." Kili smiled at the memory.

"What happened then?" George asked impatient.

"I had an arrow ready in my bow when my mother called us for supper and without looking where I was aiming, I let go of the arrow and missed Fili's head by a few inches."

"Really?"

Kili nodded.

"That was just like me when I learned how to rope." George said looking at the bow. "I had to make a lasso and throw it over a pole but I caught Ella's foot instead, and when I pulled the rope Ella fell to the ground."

"And how long did it take before you caught the pole?" Kili said chuckling.

"About a day or so."

"See." Kili said pulling George to his feet. "Keep practicing and you will be able to, at least, hit the tree! So start shooting."

**XxX**

"What about Vili?" Fili asked Ella looking at their intertwined hands.

"Vili?" Ella asked herself. "It has a nice ring to it. Where did you get that name from?"

"It was my father's name." He said a bit sad. "I don't remember much of him. I was about five when he died. It was about three months before Kili was born."

"How did he die?" Ella asked softly.

"We don't know. He went to the mines one day and didn't return. My uncle, Dwalin and Balin went out looking for him and came back with his body covered in blood. By the cuts and bruises it looked like orcs but we couldn't know for sure."  
"Oh…" Ella bit her lip. "Must have been hard growing up without your father."

"We managed. Thorin helped raising us. I think it was hardest for my mother to see her boys being raised by her brother, but somehow she had found piece with it."

"I may have been hard for your mother but I think your uncle did a hell of a good job raising you two."

Fili chuckled and kissed Ella's shoulder.

"Tell me about you father." Fili said pulling her closer to his chest. "Tell me your most memorable memory about him."

"Well," Ella sighed. "A couple of years ago I was trapped in an old water factory. So called 'friends' of my brother thought it would be fun to chase me and question me about Jim's 'business', which I knew nothing about, and they locked me up in the basement until I would talk. They damaged one of the old water tanks and water filled my room. My father was on the rescue team at the time, and he saved me from drowning. They had to blow open the door before they could get to me."

"What did your brother do to get you into such trouble?" Fili asked curious.

"He had smuggled some of their drugs without telling them and they were furious. They knew that I was his weak spot and they grabbed their chance when they saw me."

"Did your parents not know?"

"They found out when I was in the hospital recovering. My father gave him the option either to turn himself in or my father would do it."

"What did he do?"

"Nothing, so my father called. I was about fifteen when they took my older brother away. I remember begging them not to take him but there was nothing I could do. He was lucky that it wasn't a too big amount of drugs. He only six to nine years."

"I'm sorry." Fili sighed.

"You shouldn't be." Ella said and squeezed his hand. "He deserved it. He almost got me killed. I still love him though. When I was little he would drag me around as if I was a doll. He tried to teach me how to defend myself when I was four and he protected me from everybody that he didn't know or trust. He was a good kid until my parents split up. I guess that it came like a hit to all of us."

"But then you got George."

"Yeah." Ella said smiling. "I remember that I wanted a baby sister and that I was angry when I heard that it was going to be a boy, but when I saw him I immediately fell in love with him and I swore that I would protect him, no matter what."

"I did the same thing. I promised Kili, when I saw him for the first time, that I would never leave his side." Fili said with a smile on his face. "I would take him with me everywhere I went, even when he almost shot me with an arrow."

"He hit you with an arrow?!"

"Well almost." Fili chuckled. "He didn't look where he was shooting and almost shot me through the head."

Ella turned around facing Fili.

"Guess I'm lucky to have you then." She said and kissed him.

"Hmm…" Fili hummed agreeing and wrapped his arm around her, deepening the kiss. His tongue slid into her mouth and Ella put her hands in his thick blond hair when there came a knock on the door.

"Is this become some kind of habit?" Ella asked a bit annoyed rolling her eyes. "They really can't leave us alone can they?"

Kili opened the door and his mouth opened a little in surprise.

"Get out of bed." He said looking down. "Lunch is ready."

"Two minutes." Fili said holding his hand up and kissed Ella again, making her giggle.

"Oy!" Kili shouted covering his eyes. "Wait 'till I'm gone, will ya?!"

The couple laughed and looked at the dark haired dwarf.

"We're coming." Fili said and Kili closed the door behind him.

"I guess we have to get out of bed, my princess."

"What did you say before?" Ella asked teasingly. "I thought you said that we still have two minutes?!"

**Sorry for the very, very, VERY late update! I had written 3 our four versions of this chapter but I didn't like any of them and started over again and I have been very busy with school (damn projects!) I hope you enjoy this one….**

**Please review, follow, favorite etc. :3**

**XxX KneelingAngel**


	41. Cherry Pie

"Come on." Ella said after five minutes. "The others are still waiting for us."

"No." Fili mumbled and grabbed her waist. "Stay, please."

Ella smiled, leaned back and gave him a soft kiss on his lips before she jumped out of the bed.

"Mahal…" Fili sighed and looked at Ella's naked body. "How I love seeing you like this."

"Stop being such a flirt." Ella said blushing a little.

She grabbed her dress and pulled it on but struggled tying the laces. Fili pulled the back of her skirt and she landed in the bed.

"Fili, get off of me." She giggled.

"No." He said and tightened his grip around her. "I have wanted to do this for a very long time and I'm not going to let the others steal you from me. Besides you have to take care of me. I'm sick."

Ella raised a brow. "Oh really?"

"Aye. I got apple fever."

"Apple fever, huh? You're line of Durin." Ella said teasingly. "You'll get over it."

She picked up his pants and threw it in his face. And with a laugh she walked out of the room.

**XxX**

When Ella reached the dining room some of the dwarves were smiling at her.

"Why are you guys looking at me like that?" She questioned. "I'm all dressed now."

"It seems that you've had an 'eventful' morning." Dwalin said trying not to smile.

For a moment Ella froze. "Please don't tell me that-" She looked at the dwarves who gave her a knowing look. "Oh God."

"You mentioned that a couple of times." Kili said with a smirk and drank from his mug.

"Shut up, Kili." Ella said as her cheeks started to heat.

"I was just saying that-"

"FILI!" She shouted up the stairs. "Help me! Your brother is acting like himself again!"

"Ella calm down." Bofur said. "We're just teasing ya. We're happy for you two, honestly."

"But don't go shouting up the stairs." Dwalin said. "Some of us are sick and need all the rest they can get."

"Sick?" Ella asked as she sat next to George and took a bit from his food.

"Hey! This is my food." He said covering his food with his arms.

She rolled her eyes and took another bite from the bread in her hand.

"Who's sick?" she asked a bit concerned.

"Oin, Gloin and Balin are having a hard time recovering from yesterdays event." Dori said. "And Bilbo has caught the flew."

"Why didn't you guys get me out of bed earlier?!" Ella asked jumping up.

"You were a little busy, lass."

"I need to help them." She stood up and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Nori asked.

"To the stores." She quickly said. "I need to get some stuff that will help them feel better."

Dwalin grabbed her arm."I will not let you go out alone."

"Fine." Ella said quickly. "But then you have to come with me and you get to do all the carrying."

**XxX**

When Dwalin and Ella walked down to the marked, Ella was happy that she brought someone with her, all eyes were upon them and she didn't like it for one second.

"Why are they all looking at us?" Ella asked Dwalin in a whisper.

"Us?" Dwalin asked with a smile. "It's you they got their eyes on."

"What? Why?"

"Not many people have seen a she-dwarf before. For some, you are very rare."

"Is that why you didn't let me go alone?" Ella asked teasingly blinking her eyes at him. "Were you concerned that they would do something to me?"

"Stop looking at me like that, lass." He growled softly. "But to answer you question, yes. I do not trust Men."

Ella gave him a thankful smile and they walked further down the path of stands. They had bought a basket to put in all the groceries and Ella had dragged Dwalin to every food stand in Lake Town.

"Lass..." Dwalin said holding the pile of groceries that were too big for the basket. "How much do you need for this meal of yours?"

"Well, I have seen how much you dwarves can eat and it's been a long time since you guys had a feast so I am going to make one for you."

"What are you planning on making?" he asked curious.

"That is for you to question and for me to know. Oh apples!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him to the fruit stand. "Have you seen Thorin today?" Ella asked Dwalin after picking out the fruits she needed. "I didn't see him this morning."

"You should be happy about that." Dwalin joked. "But he had a meeting with the Master of the Town. Why do you ask?"

"Just need to talk to him." Ella said with a small smile. "Don't they have anything besides fish here?! If there is one thing I will not feed you, then it would be fish!"

"You don't like fish?!"

"No I don't!" She stated. "Fish are supposed to swim in the sea and not in our stomachs."

**XxX**

Ella pushed the door to the house open. Dwalin held so many groceries that he couldn't see the ground anymore.

"Hey y'all! We're back!"

Ella led Dwalin into the kitchen before the other came rushing in. Ella had grabbed a chair to stand on and tried to give everything a spot in the cabins, while she tried to eat an apple.

"Ella!" They all shouted a bit shocked. "How much did you buy?!"

"Enough." Dwalin said exhausted. "Next time someone else is going to shop with her."

Ella held the apple between her teeth and rolled her eyes. The dwarves helped her put everything in place and she was about ready to start cooking.

"Alright, everybody out!" She ordered and pushed them out. "I need my workspace. Now go do something useful." She said waving her hand in the air.

At that moment Thorin came walking in. He eyed Ella with confusion as she tried to push everybody out of the kitchen.

"_Don't make me use my frying pan!" _He heard her say. When Thorin heard Ella grabbing a pan the dwarves raced out.

"Try coming in before I'm done and I'll kick your assess!" Thorin caught Ella's eyes. There was something different about her, but in a good way.

"That counts for you too." Ella said pointing the frying pan at him with a smile.

Thorin raised his hands in surrender and walked to his companions.

"Time to train with our new weapons." He said to them and they walked to the chest of weapons they had gotten from the Town Master.

**XxX**

Ella had created a cherry pie, a plate full of cookies, George's favorite mashed potatoes with sausages and of course she had made Sandra's healing chicken soup for the sick.

"…_La di da,  
__It goes around the world it goes around,  
__La Di da,  
__And everybody's singing loud,  
__La di da,  
__A million miles away from home…_"

She hummed the rest of the song as she finished the last bit of her soup.

"How I miss the radio." She said to herself and poured some soup in a couple of bowls. She opened the window and took the pie out of the oven before placing it on the edge of the window to cool down. She grabbed the bowls and walked up to the sick.

**XxX**

Bombur froze during training, as he smelled the smell of a fresh baked pie. He elbowed his brother who was standing next to him. "Can you smell that?"

Bofur lowered his weapon and took a deep breath. "Ooh, Aye!" He said happy. "Smells like cherry pie!"

When Bofur said 'cherry pie', everybody stopped where they were standing. They gave each other a quick look and ran to the window.

"She really must love me!" Fili said when he saw the pie standing in the window.

"And there's more!" Dori said looking into the kitchen

The dwarves looked in and saw what Ella had made already. George reached out his arms and waited 'till Thorin picked him up. His eyes widened when he saw the chocolate chip cookies and he was even happier when he saw the mashed potatoes.

"Mashed potatoes with sausages!" George shouted pulling Thorin's shirt. "She made my favorite!"

"Maybe we could have a taste." Bombur said. "Just a small bite. She wouldn't notice, would she?" He reached out his hands to the pie.

"No!" George said and Bombur pulled his arms back in. "We can't! If Ella finds out then… Then-"

"Then what?" Kili asked with a sneaky smile. "She won't hurt us. We're her friends and I am sure that she didn't just put that pie there for us to look at."

"Maybe one bite wouldn't be so bad." George said his eyes not leaving the pie.

"So what do we do?" Ori asked.

"We will not touch the food." Thorin said with his deep voice. "We will eat it when we are given it."

"But it looks so delicious." Nori said with his eyes wide. "Don't tell us that you don't want to eat it."

"Thorin is right." Dwalin said. "We can't eat it. Because if we eat it, that means that I would need to go shopping with her again and I will NEVER do that again!"

Nobody moved and just kept staring at the pie in the window. Their mouths were full of water and some had a hard time not to drool.

"Then again," Dwalin continued. "What could go wrong if we only took a small bite?"

The dwarves looked at their leader for answers.

"No." Thorin said. The others groaned in disappointment and hung their heads but still not leaving the pie. "Alright but just one bite." He said giving up.

_She is going to kill us._

Bombur grabbed the pie and George had crawled through the window to grab some forks. With his hands in the air he ran back to the others who were sitting on the grass. He handed everyone a fork and placed himself next to Kili and Ori but nobody moved.

"So… Who goes first?" George asked when no one moved.

Everybody eyed each other with questioning looks until Bombur carefully moved his hand to the pie. He scooped a piece on his fork and took a bite. Bombur's eyes widened at the taste and fell backwards on his back.

"This is… The best thing… I have ever… TASTED!" He shouted throwing his arms and legs in the air. Not soon after that ever one had taken a bit and another bit and another bit and before they knew it there was no pie left.

"Woops." Kili said.

"Maybe we should hide before Elly come's b-."

"_I KNEW IT_!" Ella laughed through the kitchen window. The dwarves braced themselves as she came walking out towards them, but by their surprise Ella came walking out with the plate of cookies.

"You guys are so predictable." She said standing in front of them. "Liked it?"

The dwarves didn't know how to react to her calm and happy reaction.

"You did that on purpose?" Kili questioned after a few seconds of total silence.

"Of course I did." She said with a sneaky smile as she sat next to Bombur who was eyeing the cookies. "No dwarf can say no to a pie or good food and no one can resist my fresh baked cookies."

**I couldn't update as fast as I wanted but here it is. I didn't really know what to write and I'm not totally sure about this chapter. I promise the next one will be better. Please let me know what you think :3**


	42. They Just Had To

After everyone had enjoyed their break. The dwarves and George went back to training while Ella went back to the kitchen to prepare the rest of the food. After six hours of cooking, she was covered in flower, chocolate and other ingredients. She had made a thick corn soup, spaghetti, some sort of boiled potato dish, rice, lasagna, fried chicken, roasted and cooked shrimps and crabs, herb salad, roasted mushrooms, hundreds of cheese dumplings, raison bread, fish and chips, fried pork and a huge pot of chili. She had cooked a dozen eggs and fried about ten pounds of bacon. She had made a giant bowl of fruit salad, chocolate pudding, cupcakes, honey cake, strawberry pie, different sorts of cookies and Ella's favorite chocolate chip brownies but some how they kept disappearing and she had to keep making more.

Ella wiped her dirty hands on her white dress when she was done.

"Finally!" she sighed and fell into a chair. "I'm DONE!"

She said the word 'done' a little to loud and the dwarves came rushing in. Everybody quickly took the plates, forks knives and food. And before Ella could blink, everybody had settled into the dining room stuffing their mouths with her food.

"HEY!" She shouted when she finally realized what happened and she stomped her way to the dining room. "What the hell do you guys think you're doing?!"

The dwarves stopped eating. Ella crossed her arms and looked at them with her mother look.

"None of you are getting ANYTHING, before you guys have washed your hands."

All the dwarves quickly ran past her in search for water and soap. Ella couldn't help but laugh at their reaction. While the others were washing their hands Ella decided to have a look at the sick.

**XxX**

Ella softly knocked on the door and opened it. She carefully popped her head through the crack and found Balin half smiling at her.

"Back already?" He asked. "I'm not dying, you know."

"I know." Ella said with a smile. "But I just wanted to make sure that you were alright and in need of anything."

"I am fine, lass." He pointed at the chair next to the bed, offering her a seat. "You worry to much about us."

"Isn't that why I'm here?" She asked teasingly. "Somebody has to take care of those halfwits."

"That indeed." Balin agreed. "But by the look of it, you take to good care of them."

Ella looked her dress up and down. She could hardly recognize it.

"You got something on you face too."

Ella wiped her face with her sleeve.

"Gone?"

Balin just nodded. "It sure does smell good."

"If you can get out of bed, you can have some." Ella said and helped him up. She grabbed hold of his arm and they walked out the door.

"Now you are just making me feel old." Balin chuckled.

Ella giggled and helped him down the stairs. When Ella pushed the door to the dining room opened, they in immediately had to duck for flying food.

"What did I tell you?" Ella said putting her weight on her right leg and a hand on her hip. "They're halfwits."

"BALIN!" Everybody shouted and Dwalin walked to his brother and gave him a hug.

"Be careful with him. He's still sick." Ella ordered Dwalin. "Don't break him, I'll be right back."

**XxX**

Ella walked up to Oin and Gloin's room. She heard them grumbling behind the door. She knocked once and opened the door. She leaned against the doorframe and laughed as she saw them wrestling.

"I can see that the chicken soup worked. What are you two doing?"

They didn't react and Ella rolled her eyes. _I can see where Gimli got his personality from. Family. _"There's food down stairs."

The brothers stopped fighting and walked out the room but not before giving Ella a pat on the back and a smile.

"Thank you for taking care of us lass." Gloin said.

"You have to show me what you put in that soup." Oin chuckled.

Ella shook her head and walked to the last room, which was Bilbo's.

"Bilbo?" She asked softly and opened the door. "There is some food down stairs, if you want some."

Ella looked at the small hobbit shaking under the covers. She rushed over to him and felt his forehead.  
"You poor thing." She said as she felt his fever. "You're as sick as a dog after eating grandpa's stew." She removed his sweaty curls from his face and walked to the closet for another blanket. She covered him up and tugged him in, making him look like a sausage.

"Can I get you anything?"

"Some more chicken soup would be nice." Bilbo said with a small voice.

"Alright." Ella said with a smile and stood up. "I'll be right back."

"Ella wait." Bilbo said as loud as he could with his sick voice. "Do I smell raison bread?"

Ella giggled. "I'll go and see if there is any left. The idiots probably ate it all already."

**XxX**

She walked down the stairs and looked out a window. It was night and the stars were shining like diamonds. Ella sighed and rubbed her eyes. All the cooking, the shopping and the eventful morning, had exhausted her. If Bilbo wasn't as sick as he was, then Ella would have snuggled up against Fili and would have fallen asleep in his arms. Ella let out a tired sigh and walked into the kitchen.

Ella's eyes widened, as the kitchen was spotless, all the leftovers had gotten a place in the cupboards and the dishes were cleaned. The only thing still standing was the pot of chicken soup. _At least I don't have to clean anymore. _Ella lid a fire to warm the soup and sat down at small table in the room. As she said down, she almost collapsed. The sleepless nights in Mirkwood were finally catching up with her. She placed her head on the table and used her arms as a pillow. She had almost fallen asleep when Kili, Fili, Nori, Gloin, Dwalin and George came stomping in.

"Come on lass!" Dwalin said. "We're going to the tavern. Care to join us?"

"No thanks." Ella mumbled waving her hand in the air. "Can't. To. Tired. Bilbo. Sick."

"He will be fine." Kili said. "He is stronger then he looks."

"I know." Ella yawned and stretched. "But somebody still needs to look after him."

"Soup is done." Nori said lifting the lid. "I wish I was sick. I'm getting all hungry again."

"That is for Bilbo." Ella said grumpy standing up as George handed her an empty bowl. "Touch it and I'll bust your nose!"

"Alright!" He said raising his hands. "Come on Lads, let's go before the others drink all the ale."

Fili took Ella's hand and pulled her closer before she poured in the soup. "Are you sure that you don't want to come with us?" He asked looking into her tired eyes. "I would hate to miss the opportunity to show you off."

Ella smiled and gave him a gentle kiss.

"I need to take care of Bilbo." She tugged Fili's blond hair behind his ears. "You go and have fun. You deserve it after being locked up for two weeks."

"If you say so." He smiled and followed the others out of the kitchen. "Just don't over work yourself."

Ella stopped when she saw George walking behind Kili.

"George?" Ella asked as she poured some soup in a bowl and grabbed a slice of leftover raison bread. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To the tavern." He said honest.

"Don't think so." Ella said. "It's past your bedtime."

"But Kili said I could go!"

"Kili says a lot of things, so you are not going anywhere. You could use a good nights sleep after yesterdays event and you are still to young for beer."

"But Ella…!" George whined.

"No buts! If you go get ready for bed now, then I'll let you stay up for another hour but after that it's off to bed."

Grumbling, George let go of Kili's hand and walked up the stairs to his room. "_I never get to do anything fun."_

"Don't get home too late." Ella ordered the others as they walked out of the house. "And don't drink too much. One sick hobbit is enough to handle."

"We can handle our liquor." Gloin said. "It takes a lot to get us drunk."

_Now, where have I heard that before?_ Ella thought rolling her eyes. _Like father like son._

"Alright." Ella said. "But don't make me say 'I told you so' if you're sick tomorrow."

"WE WON'T!" They said together and closed the main door behind them.

**XxX **

Ella walked back up the stairs to their dear burglar. She pushed the door open with her shoulder and stepped in. Bilbo had heard the conversation from down the stairs.

"You didn't have to stay at home, you know." Bilbo said with his small voice. "But thank you."

"No need to thank me." Ella said and helped him sit up straight. "It's the least I could do after you got us out of Mirkwood. Besides I also needed to take care of George too. No matter how much I love the dwarves, I don't trust them with my little brother when beer is involved."

Ella gave Bilbo the bowl and the small piece of raison bread.

"They ate it all." She said apologetic.

Bilbo chuckled slightly. "Anything is better then Bombur's root stew. And you are an excellent cook, if I say so myself."

Ella smiled and sat on the chair next to the bed.

"You're the first one to say that, believe it or not." She said smiling. "The dwarves basically attacked the food. Guess I have to teach them some manners too."

"Have you eaten?" Bilbo asked a bit concerned. "I mean you have been walking up and down the stairs and you have been cooking all day."

"I can survive without eating meals for a couple of days but I had some brownies, thanks for your concern." Ella patted his knee and stood up from her seat. "Try to get some more rest." She said with a soft smile and walked out the door. "You yell if you need anything!"

**XxX**

For the last time she walked down the stairs and into the living room where Oin, Balin and George were. Oin had made a fire and had decided to stay in the house, just incase he would get sick again. Balin was still weak but had George on his lap and told him about the good old days of Erebor. Ella collapsed sideways into the armchair that was standing next to the fire Oin had created.

"I'm never leaving this chair again." Ella mumbled. "My legs are going to fall off if I walk one more pair of stairs."

The next thing she knew was Oin covering her with a blanket and she quickly dozed off.

"_Mommy! Mommy! Look what I found!" Ella turned around and saw a small child running at her. He had dark brown hair and he had the brightest of blue eyes. He had a small puppy in his arms._

"_Can I keep it?" He asked with pleading eyes. "Please mommy! I promise that I will take good care of it and feed it and play with it. Please mommy, can I keep it?"_

_Ella blinked at the boy. He couldn't be more then four years old. Something about him looked familiar. It was as if he had Fili's eyes only brighter and he had her curly brown had and nose. _

_Ella looked around saw the Lonely Mountain in front of her. She was sitting on spring green grass and was dressed in a navy blue dress she didn't recognize. _

"_Mommy please…" He wined._

"_Okay, okay." Ella's eyes widened as the words forced themselves out of her mouth._

_The boy couldn't be any happier. He jumped up in joy and looked at someone behind her. _

"_Daddy look!" The boy shouted and lifted the puppy in the air._

_Ella turned around to see no one but Fili standing behind her. The boy ran to him and Fili picked him up in his arms._

"_What have you gotten in your arms there, son?" Fili asked curious. _

"_I found him in the forest." The small boy said. "He was all alone. Mommy said I could keep him!" He quickly said as if Fili was going to take it away from him. _

_Fili chuckled and put the small boy down. "What are you going to name it then?"_

"_Buck." The boy simply said. _

"_Then Buck it is." Fili ruffled the boy's hair before the boy jumped and played in the tall grass the small puppy._

_Fili walked up behind Ella and kissed her neck. "You're really letting him keep that dog?"_

_Ella didn't know what to do so she just nodded with a smile. She was so confused. Nothing made sense to her. _

"_Are you alright, love?" Fili asked a bit concerned._

"_How- Who- When did he-?" Ella couldn't form the questions in her mind. "I'm fine."_

_Fili chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist and together they watched the small boy, who was apparently their son, playing around._

_The sun was going down and Fili grabbed Ella by the hand. "Vili, let's go! We're going home!"_

_The boy let out an annoyed cry as he picked up the puppy. _

"_Why can't we stay longer?!" He asked pulling Ella's skirt. "Mommy can we stay longer?"_

_Ella couldn't help but to smile at the boy. Vili. Her little Vili. She could get used to it._

"_Sorry sweetie." She said. "We don't want to miss supper, now do we?"_

_Vili quickly shook his head and grabbed her hand. _

Ella was transferred out of her dream as the door swung open and the merry gathering of drunken dwarves came waltzing in.

_They just had to snap me out of it, didn't they? _Ella thought and with a growl she pulled her blanket over her head.


	43. Somebody Please Kill Me Now!

Ella awoke with a sneeze, again. "You have got to be joking me. Please don't say that this is going to turn into another habit." She mumbled to herself and pulled the covers over her head. Somebody had moved her out of the armchair and back to her bedroom during the night. Ella softly growled when she couldn't fall back a sleep and another sneeze came.

"Ths s rdculs!" She said dramatically and kicked under the covers.

Ella heard a soft chuckle and immediately felt a pair of eyes on her. She looked up and saw Fili leaning on the end of the bed.

"What are you looking at?" Ella asked softly and snuggled her head into the pillow.

"You." Fili simply said.

"Me?" Ella asked laughing. "Why?"

"You were smiling."

"You're saying that as if that is something rare." Ella said opening one eye. "I smile, don't I?"

"You do." Fili answered. "But not in your sleep."

He crawled back into the bed and grabbed Ella by her waist and turned her so that she was facing him. "What were you smiling at?"

Ella answered with a tired giggle. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"It must have been a really good dream then." Fili said and kissed her nose.

"It was." She mumbled. "And it would have gotten a whole lot better if that damn sneeze didn't wake me for the hundredth time."

"Do I get to know what it was about?" He asked with a smile. "I'm sure that it is a better story then your nightmares. Tell me."

Ella could hear in his voice that Fili wasn't going to let her off so easily.

"He had your eyes." Ella said playing with one of Fili's braids. Ella's smile couldn't have been any bigger when she met Fili's blue eyes. "He was so small and so cute. He was the cutest baby boy I have ever seen. He looked A LOT like you. You should have seen him, he wanted that puppy so bad."

"Did he have a name?" Fili asked curious.

Ella nodded. "Buck."

"Buck?" he asked and frowned. "You named our son Buck?"

"No, the puppy's name was Buck." Ella said rolling her eyes.

"You know I didn't mean the puppy."

Ella giggled at the look in his eyes again.

"Vili. His name was Vili. Just like your father."

"Was I there?" He asked as a spark started to rise in his eyes.

"You were." Ella said with a smile. "Thanks to you I figured out his name."

"What happened after the puppy thing?"

"You drunken idiots came waltzing in and snapped me out of my sleep." She said pulling his braid. "I told you not to drink to much."

Fili chuckled and moved his lips closer to Ella's but she pushed his face away. "I can still smell the alcohol on you breath." She teased and moved out of bed. "Ugh, I can believe that I slept in this dress. You couldn't have given me a shirt. I really need to get this washed. I am never going to get these stains out of this dress."

"Good thing we got you another one then." Fili said with a smile and lifted himself on his elbow.

"You got me another dress?" Ella asked a bit confused but happy.

"Let me see it." She demanded.

Like last morning, Fili pulled Ella's skirt and she landed back on the bed.

"Not without a morning kiss." He teased.

Ella rolled on top of him and gave him a quick kiss, their lips barely touched but she wanted that dress. "Now hand me the dress."

"Demanding thing you've become." Fili said with a smirk and pointed at the closet. "Was Vili like this?"

"As a matter of fact, he was." Ella said and looked at the beautiful dress that they had gotten from the Town Master. It was brown and had a white under skirt and a dark colored corset that belonged with.

"You should have seen him with that puppy." Ella said while she pulled on her dress. "He kept on saying please and looking up at me with his big blue eyes until I said that he could keep it."

Ella could only smile as she remembered those bright eyes but let out a frustrated sigh when she couldn't tie the back of her corset. "Why can't you just close these bloody things?! I want my bra back!" She growled softly as Fili had gotten out of bed to help her.

"After this quest I'm going back to Mirkwood to get my clothes back! I swear I do not know how women can breath in these! OW! Not so tight!" She growled. "I swear to God, I need to get these mood swings under control! You still need to braid my hair though."

Fili jumped on the bed and patted the spot between his legs. With a sigh Ella sat down and rubbed her face as Fili started to braid her hair.

"I am so tired. I've had it with this quest." She growled softly. "I've had it with the fighting, Orcs and Elves. I've had it with moving around and camping. Of course we still have to fight that stupid dragon and find that secret door. Of course the door being secret we have to follow our instincts to bloody find IT! Oh and of course we can't forget that it is like bloody invisible! Why couldn't they just put it on the map and mark it with X?!"

Ella let out a tired sigh. "What I want to do right now is go straight back to bed. Forget breakfast and training and all that junk. What I need is sleep. Proper sleep!"

Ella took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "My head hurts. One day these outburst are going to be the death of me!"

**XxX  
**

Fili had braided her hair in five braids that eventually were braided into one long braid. The only braid hanging loose was the one with his bead on it. When Fili was done braiding Ella fell back against his chest.

"I really need to sleep." She murmured and started to doze of.

"I thought I told you not to over work yourself yesterday?"

"Hmmm… You did, but apparently, I'm not a very good listener."

Fili grabbed around Ella's waist and they shifted so that he sat with his back against the headboard of the bed.

"How is Bilbo feeling?" Ella asked. "He didn't look so good yesterday."

"You mean the day before yesterday." Fili chuckled. "You have been sleeping somewhere about …" He quickly counted on his fingers. "Maybe for about thirty-six hours."

"I have what?!"

"I told you that you shouldn't have over worked yourself."

"Why didn't you wake me?" Ella asked as she sat up and turned around.

"We would have waken you if that was possible." He said with a smile. "We tried everything but you just wouldn't wake. How much did you even sleep in Mirkwood? Did you even sleep at all?"

"Second question first." Ella said. "Yes I did sleep. First question: maybe nine nights or something. Sleeping with out your memory is really hard."

Tears started to rise in her eyes when she thought back and Fili grabbed her hands.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." He said calm.

"But why?" Ella sobbed as tears ran down her cheek. "Why not tell me? Why hide yourself from me when I needed you the most? I could feel you missing. Why didn't you tell me? I had a right to know!"

"You wouldn't have believed me." Fili said and wiped away a tear. "And even if you would have believed me, you wouldn't have loved me the way you do. I didn't want to force you to remember us again. I would have waited for your memories to return but some things are easier said then done. But I loved you too much and I couldn't stop thinking and worrying about your, I could never hide myself from you. Just because you could feel me didn't mean that I wasn't there. I was still at your side when we were lost in the woods, wasn't I? I could never let anything happen to you. I would never leave you, I promised you that long ago and I have no intention of breaking that promise. Not now, not ever! You are worth more then all the gold in Erebor and even more then the Arkenstone. If I lost you I wouldn't know what to do. When you couldn't remember me I felt like I was stabbed in the back by a hundred knives! But you were still there, I could still see you and you were safe. I was still by your side, maybe from a distance, but I was still there. I will NEVER leave you."

Ella cried at his words and swung her arms around his neck pulling him closer for a hug.

XxX

"You really need to do something with your hair." Ella said as she lay against Fili's chest. She played with a braid that was about to get loose. "Your hair has gotten all… Poofy! You look like a poodle or Albert Einstein."

"Who?" Fili asked looking down at her.

"Einstein. He was a genius. He was known for his mass energy equivalence formula: E is mc squared- Oh never mind." She cut herself off when she saw the weird look on Fili's face. " Why do I even bother? It's a physics thing. I was a bit of a physics geek back home. And NO I did not have braces and huge glasses."

"I love it when you talk nonsense." Fili said and softly kissed her on her head.

"It's not nonsense just because you idiots don't understand it." Ella teased and pulled down Fili's braid before he rolled over her and pinned down her arms in to the pillows.

"Did you just call me an idiot?" He asked with a smirk on his face.

"May-be." Ella answered teasingly. "But I'm not a parrot, you know. I don't repeat myself."

"Want to bet on it?" Fili asked. Ella bit down her lip when she saw a hint of dare in Fili's eyes.

"May-be." She said. "But not now." She quickly added as Fili was about to kiss her. "I'm still to tired. Go away." She shifted on her side and pulled her hands loose.

"Now you are just torturing me." Fili said and started to kiss her neck and shoulder.

Ella giggled and Goosebumps ran over her arm as Fili kissed her ear. She lifted her shoulder to her ear, trying to rub the tickling feeling away.

"Who's torturing who now?" Ella asked as she lay on her back and met Fili's lips. She pulled his collar deepening the kiss as they both wrestled for the 'upper hand'. While wrestling, their lips never left each other only to pull Fili's shirt over his head. The rolled around over the bed. They pinned each other down and laughed and giggled until they stumbled out of bed. The landed with a loud thump but Ella couldn't hold her laughter.

Fili placed himself on her waist and pinned down her arms making sure that there was no way out. They kissed and it grew more passionate by the second. Fili let go of one of her hands and lifted her up a little and Ella's free hand was holding on to his shoulder. Her fingers were digging into his skin, as Fili lifted her skirt, and she was sure that they would leave marks but she didn't care. Fili tried to pull loose the laces of her corset when someone broke down the door.

"YOU TWO!" Ella yelped in shock. She recognized the voice. It had fought with her enough for her to recognize it anywhere. Apparently so had Fili. They had the exact same expression of shock on their faces. Ella forced herself to look over Fili's shoulder but regretted it the moment she met Thorin's furious gaze. "DOWN STAIRS NOW!" he ordered. Ella and Fili quickly stood up walked out the door. When Ella passed Thorin she could feel the fury coming from him. "WALK!" he shouted and they quickened their pace down the stairs. _Somebody please kill me now! _

**DUN DUN DUUUUUUNNN!**

**Took a while to right because I just couldn't get it right. **

**Love to hear what you guys think and stuff. So please comment, follow, favorite and all the other stuff :3**

**XxX KneelingAngel**


	44. The Talk

Ella paced the living room up and down and was nervously pulling her skirt. The dwarves and the hobbit had their eyes on her as she moved. Ella was deep in her thoughts while mumbling and shouting voice came from the kitchen.

"Ella!" George shouted. "Stop pacing! You're making me nervous."

"What happened?" Balin asked.

"Nothing!" Ella said throwing her arms dramatically in the air. "I swear nothing happened! We were only fooling around. I promise!"

"Calm down, lass. Just calm down." Dwalin said.

"Calm down?" Ella almost shouted. "I can't calm down if I don't know why they are yelling like that. Why is Thorin so angry?!"

Her eyes widened in shock. "You didn't tell him anything did you? Please don't tell me that you told him about that ONE morning."

"No, we didn't lass." Bofur said with an ensuring smile.

"Thank heavens!" Ella sighed and placed a hand on her heart. "Because he made it perfectly clear that, you know, Fili and I couldn't like… *Tsk* DO anything."

"I don't think that it has anything to do with that." Kili said. "He came storming in like this."

Bifor said something in Khuzdul and signed with his hands.

"I should really learn dwarfish." Ella said to herself and started pacing again.

After a few more moments of shouting Fili stepped out of the kitchen. He was obvious angry but Ella could also see the giant question mark on his face.

"ELLA!" Thorin shouted and she almost ran to the kitchen but Fili grabbed her arm as she past him.

"Something is wrong with him." He said in a low voice for only her to hear. "Maybe you can figure it out."

Ella gave him a small nod. She could feel her heartbeat rising as she moved closer to the door and she pulled her skirt again.

**XxX**

Ella looked at the ground, afraid to meet Thorin's eyes. Thorin was a good man and a great king but he was more then scary when he was mad or furious. Ella could feel Thorin's eyes on her and she almost tore the fabric of her skirt. The air around her felt thick and the silence was slowly choking her. No matter how hard she pushed herself, she couldn't get herself to speak first.

"Did we not have an agreement?" Thorin growled soft.

Ella didn't say anything and just kept on staring at the floor.

"Did we or did we not?!" Thorin growled louder and stepped closer. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

Ella flinched at his loud voice and looked up through her eyelashes. When her eyes met his she tilted her head and looked up, deeper into his eyes. There was anger in his eyes but not anger towards her. She had fought enough with him to know how he looked at her when he was angry with her. This wasn't that look. She frowned with made Thorin anger rise even more.

"Answer me!" He ordered.

"Yes we had an agreement!" Ella shouted.

"Then would you care to tell me what I heard and what I saw?!"

"Why don't you tell me what you think you heard and saw!?" She snapped. "Just because you see something doesn't mean that it is what it looks like! And you didn't see anything because nothing happened! _Or at least not this morning_…" She softly added under her breath.

"What did you say?" Thorin hissed threatening.

"Nothing." Ella answered and rolled her eyes.

"DO NOT LIE TO ME!" He barked

"I'M NOT LYING TO YOU!" she barked back. "YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW?! OKAY FINE! YES FILI AND I DID IT AND I AM DAMN WELL PROUD OF IT! BUT I DIDN'T BREAK OUR PROMISE! HE HASN'T GOTTEN ME PREGNANT! THAT WAS THE DEAL AND WE HAVN'T BROKEN IT! THERE, HAPPY NOW?!"

Thorin wanted to shout but Ella cut him off. "

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT AFTER ALL WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH, THAT YOU STILL HAVE THIS LITTLE FAITH IN ME! When I make a deal I tend to keep it!" She said calming down a little. "But this is not the reason why you're angry! I can see it in your eyes. I've had enough outbursts myself to know! You just needed someone to shout at and Fili and I had, or were, the closest thing to a reason! so now it is your turn to answer truthfully! Why are you so pissed off?!"

Thorin was stumped at her words. How had she been able to read him? How did she know?

"Don't look at me like I'm some kind of idiot, Thorin." Ella said and a small smile crawled over her lips when his eyes went back to normal. "I've had enough fights with you to know when you are really pissed off at me. Let me guess, the mayor, or whatever you call him, had something to do with it?" She placed a hand on her hip and playfully shook her head. "What, you don't want to share your precious gold with him? I should have known. Bringing your companions and friends closer to the mountain makes you wonder about the dragon. You wonder if it's still there. You're afraid and worried, which frustrates you and makes your fuse even shorter then that it already is. Now you tell me if I'm right."

Thorin just gave her a nod, so small that you could barely see it but Ella saw and her smile became bigger.

"Ooh, let me guess again! The mayor offered to help with supplies but not with the dragon, because the idiot doesn't believe that you are really you, but he wants a part of your gold, which you refuse to give him."

Thorin let out a snort and the corners of his mouth curled up into a smile.

"Call me Sherlock the second."

"You seem to have features we have not discovered yet." He said.

"I'm a woman." Ella laughed. "I will always have features you will never know about. But I guess that we have more in common then we first thought."

**XxX**

She placed herself in a chair next to the kitchen table and with a loud sigh she sat down.

"I'm hungry." She whined. "Can you pass me the box that is in the upper cupboard?"

Thorin raised a brow and Ella rolled her eyes and pointed to the second cupboard to the left. He reached and opened the small door. At first he didn't see anything but when he looked closer he saw a white box in the dark corner. Thorin grabbed it and handed it to Ella.

"Thank God it's still there!" Ella gasped. "I was almost thought that Bombur had found it?"

"What's in it?" Thorin asked curious.

"Brownies, ya dofus! What else?" Ella said and took a bite of one. "They always make me calm down when I've had an outburst or whatever. Want one?"

Thorin cracked a smile and placed himself on the opposite side of the table before taking a brownie.

"I have to admit," He said and took another bite. "These are not bad."

"See," Ella said. "They even make you feel better."

"So what are we going to do now?" Ella asked as she stuffed another brownie in her mouth.

"We leave by the end of the week and head for the mounta-"

"I didn't mean the quest." Ella said. "When you… I mean… When we… When we met Thranduil and they took me away, you called me your daughter. Why?"

"The same reason why you called father."

"I never said that." She argued. "Well maybe once but I didn't mean it."

"When you crashed into me at Beorn's house it seemed like you did. As did it when the guards of the elven king took you away."

Ella grabbed her head and sighed. "I don't know why I called you that." She admitted. "I guess the words just… came out. I can't recall calling you that. Maybe it was instinct or a reflex, or something. I don't- Sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Thorin said and placed her hand in his. "I do not regret my words and I will protect you and George as I protect my nephews. I will treat you as my kin and become your guardian, as I did with my nephews, IF that is what you want."

Ella didn't know how to react to his words but she found herself with her arms around his neck pulling him in for a hug.

**XxX**

When Thorin and Ella walked out the kitchen the dwarves and the hobbit let out a relieving breath.

"Thank Mahal." Bofur sighed. "We almost thought that you two had killed each other."

Ella had couldn't hold her giggle and smiled at the hatted dwarf. Thorin signed Fili to step closer and grabbed his wrist, and placed Fili's hand together with Ella's.

"I am sorry I had this little faith in the both of you." Thorin said. "My apologize."

Fili looked at Ella. Something had changed in his uncle and he couldn't see what. What had Ella done to calm his uncle down? He looked in her eyes with confusion.

"I'll tell you later." Ella whispered in his ear and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm hungry." Bombur complained.

"My word exactly." Dwalin said. "To the tavern it is, lads!"

Ella just smiled and shook her head. "You guys go and have fun then. I'm just going to stay home and read a book or something before putting George to bed."

George let out an annoyed sound and hung his head forward.

"Not this time!" Fili said and lifted her over his shoulder. "You are not leaving my sight. Tonight I am showing you off." And he walked after the others, who were waiting for them at the door.

"Not again." Ella giggled. "FILI! PUT ME DOWN! You still have to put on a shirt!"

Thorin chuckled as he saw the girl kicking her feet in the air and followed behind them.

**Short chapter, so sorry! But I figured that it was a good place to end the chapter…  
Hope you enjoyed :3**

**Tell me what you think!**

**XxX KneelingAngel**


	45. Very Dangerous Over Short Distances

"There are a lot of people here." Ella said when they walked into the tavern. She felt eyes upon her and she grabbed Fili's arm tighter. "Remind me again why I came?"

Fili chuckled and the dwarves and hobbit had found a table big enough to sit around.

"Evening." The barmaid said. "What can I get you?"

"Sixteen pints, I you may." Dwalin said. The barmaid rode it down and walked away.

"Sixteen?!" Ella asked in a low voice. "Are you fucking insane? No wait, don't answer me that. Why did you order sixteen? We are only fifteen."

"But I'm here too." George complained.

"Yes but you are not old enough for drinking. He is not getting any DWALIN."

"But Ella!" George whined.

"We are not going over this again George." Ella said annoyed. "You can have some in ten years and not a drop before that."

"But-But Ella!"

"Thorin please do something."

Thorin gave the small boy next to him a look. He tilted his head and said. "Promise me that you won't get drunk."

George just quickly nodded his head. "Cross my heart!"

Ella's mouth fell open. "Did you just-? Unbelievable." Ella sighed. "Why am I even trying?! Dwarves. They are all the bloody same!"

The barmaid had walked up and down the bar a couple of times to get their drinks. Ella rolled her eyes at the dwarves as the ordered another round. They had already started to drink from their fifth one, as she wasn't even done with her first one. Fili stretched his arms and placed one around Ella's waist.

"Smooth." Ella said raising a brow. "Couldn't have made up a better move?"

Fili just chuckled and gave her a kiss on the cheek before he drank of his ale again.

"Love you too."

**XxX**

"Kili stop staring at the barmaid." Ella said rolling her eyes. "It's not a nice thing to do."

Kili wasn't paying any attention to Ella and didn't hear what she said.

"KILI!" she shouted and slammed the table.

"What? What?!" He said shaking his head.

"Go talk to her." Ella said in a low voice. "Staring at her won't do anyone any good."

Kili didn't move and just looked at his hands.

"Oh come on." Ella laughed. "Don't tell me that the flirt of the group is afraid to talk to the barmaid. Well fine, I'll go talk to her then."

"Ella no!" Kili said. "Wait please!" He tried to grab her arm but she was already on her way to the bar.

George had crawled under the table and grabbed his sister's hand as she walked away.

"Are you really going to talk to her?" He asked.

"Of course I am." Ella said with a smile. "I also wanted to go and get a glass of water. This is the worst beer I have ever tasted. It tastes like fish."

"I liked it." George said.

"Well of course you did." She said with a smile. "But that is because you haven't had any better. Is this a new shirt you're wearing?"

"Yes it is." George said with a smile. He wore a dark red shirt, almost black, and it made his blue eyes even brighter. "Kili and I went shopping for clothes yesterday. The town master didn't have any clothes my size so we got some made. It's not easy being a small dwarf."

"Well it suits you." Ella replied and ruffled his hair.

They reached the bar and Ella helped George onto the bar chair so that he could see beyond the bar.

"Well aren't you the sweetest little thing I have ever seen." The barmaid said. "What can I get you little one?"

"Two glasses of water please." George said.

"Please? Very polite I see. Not a lot of people around here say that any more. You raised you son well." She told Ella.

"He's my little brother." Ella said with a smile. "But yes he can be very polite."

"Oh I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"It's fine." Ella said and reached out her hand. "Ella. This is George."

"Leila." The barmaid said and shook her hand. "Pleasure to meet you. I see that you aren't as big a drinker as your friends."

"You could say that." George said. "But Ella won't let me have any."

"Quite right." Leila said. "You are still too young."

"Finally somebody agrees with me." Ella sighed and took a sip from her water.

"I see one of your friend has an eye on me." Leila said.

"Yeah." Ella laughed. "Sorry about him. But the flirt is to scared to come and talk to you."

Leila looked at Kili and giggled as she caught his eye.

"Shame really." She said. "He doesn't look that bad. He's quiet handsome"

"You got that right." Ella snorted and drank from her mug. "Though I prefer the blond."

"Girls." George sighed and shook his head.

Ella and Leila laughed.

"I'm going to make another round." Leila said. "Excuse me."

"Course." Ella said and gave her a knowing smile. "His name is Kili by the way. Just incase you want to know."

Leila smiled and walked up to the table of dwarves. Ella clapped her hands. "This was easier then I thought."

As George and Ella watched the dwarves and Leila from a distance, a man had moved next to her.

"So," He spoke. "A she-dwarf in Lake Town."

Ella ignored him but he kept on talking.

"Traveling with dwarves to the Lonely Mountain. It must have been a terrible journey so far."

"It hasn't been the most comfortable." Ella answered a bit annoyed. For a moment she regretted that she spoke and she scolded herself. "But I'm still alive thanks to them."

"Why not leave them?" He asked.

"Are you deaf?" she growled softly. She could feel that he wanted something more then just to talk. He wore all dark clothes and didn't look very friendly. "I'm still alive thanks to them."

"How about you just leave them, and come with me?" He asked moving closer to her. Ella could feel is hand touching her arm and it was more then just uncomfortable. She took a step back and looked the man in his eyes.

"How about I bury my fist in your face?" She asked.

The man just laughed at her little threat. Little did he know that Ella meant it.

"I'd like to see you try." His hands moved closer to her waist and he had a wicked smile on his face. When he touched Ella again. She grabbed his collar and pulled him closer, only to smash her fist against his face. The man landed on the ground with a loud thump.

The dwarves on the other side of the tavern jumped to their feet. Ella kicked the man in his side making him turn around on his back and she placed her foot on his chest. She put all her weight on her leg and felt his ribs crack under her feet.

"Next time I will not be so soft." She said through clenched teeth. "Touch me again and I'll break your neck. You still want me to come with you?"

The man shook his head. His eyes were filled with shock and he wiped the blood off of his lip.

"Didn't think so." Ella said.

"I hope you guys don't mind but I'm gonna hit back home." She said as the dwarves stood around her. "Come on George your coming with me, time for you to go to bed. Have fun with Kili, Leila." And with that Ella took George's hand and walked out of the tavern.

XxX

Ella sat in front of the fire with a sleeping George on her lap. She hums a lullaby to him and softly stroked his hair. She looks at her free hand. Her two of her knuckles were busted open and it hurt when she closed her hand.

_Maybe I hit him too hard? _Ella thought to herself. _Nah! He had it coming_.

Ella was forced out of her thoughts when the drunken dwarves came in. George woke from their loud talking and laughter.

"Stupid dwarves." He mumbled and tried to fall back asleep.

Ella looked over behind the chair and saw that the dwarves were leaning against each other to stand. The only ones who were sober were Thorin, Bilbo and Balin of course.

"Oi! Idiots!" Ella shouted. Everybody turned. "Shut up! Some of us are trying to sleep here!"

"Thr she's!" Kili said and waved his drunken hand at Ella. "Ur *hiccup* hero!"

"Come on George." Ella said and stood up with George in her arms. "Lets go to bed."

George hummed in agreement and fell asleep.

"Here," Thorin said. "Let me take him. You get them sobered up."

Ella gave him a smile and handed George to him.

"Alright everybody have a seat!" She ordered as Thorin walked away. The dwarves fell to the ground. "On a chair, you morons!"

XxX

With the help of Balin and Bilbo, they had gotten everybody around the dining table with a glass of water.

"How much did they drink?" Ella asked Balin. "They look terrible. Especially Fili, Kili and Ori."

"Drinking competition with a fellow named Bard." Balin said short.

"Oh how I should have known." Ella said shaking her head. "Lets hope that we can get them sobered up and hope that they won't be sick tomorrow. I'm not in the mood to take care of ten… six…eight… nine… I mean eleven dwarves." She counted on her fingers.

"Ella." Bilbo gasped. "What happened to your hand?"

"I think I hit that dude from the bar a little to hard."

"A little?" Bilbo laughed. "You broke his jaw. Here let's take care of your hand."

Bilbo led Ella into the kitchen. He took a piece of cloth and pushed it against her hand. Ella had to bite her lip not to make a sound but Bilbo noticed that it hurt her.

"You should let Oin have a look at you hand, you know."

In the kitchen the light was brighter and Ella could see the bruises around her knuckles.

"Why do I always keep injuring myself?" she sighed.

Before Bilbo could answer her question they heard a loud noise outside the kitchen. Bilbo and Ella rushed out and saw that Fili and Kili had fallen from their chairs. They couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Let's get them to bed." Ella laughed. Balin gave her a nod and started with helping his brother up. Bilbo took Ori and Ella walked to Fili.

"Let's go." She said and softly kicked him.

"You stol m keys!" He shouted and pulled a lock of Kili's hair. "You look like a mushroom!"

"I can't feel the flr." Kili said with the most stupid grin on his face. "Look! A flower!"

Before she could help them up, Fili pulled her to the ground, by her skirt, and onto his chest.

"Bloody idiots!" Ella said under her breath and tried to push herself off of Fili but he tightened his grip around her.

"Fili, sweetheart." Ella groaned as Fili tightened his arms a little to tight around her. "I can't breath. Somebody… Help!"

At that moment Balin, Bilbo and Thorin came walking back down the stairs. They all tilted their heads and chuckled. Thorin walked closer as Balin and Bilbo took the others up stairs.

"What are you smiling at?!" Ella asked annoyed and out of breathe. "Don't just stand there. Help me before he crushes my lungs!"

When Thorin reached down to his nephew, Fili growled and tightened his grip even more. Ella tried to push herself up. But everything they seemed to do they just couldn't get Ella loose. Thorin had decided that it was best to get the others to bed first and grabbed Kili.

"Fili, you drunken idiot!" Ella shouted. "Let me go!"

"No." He mumbled.

"Fili, I can't breath! You're going to break my ribs if your not careful!"

Fili didn't move and she let herself go limp.

_What to do? _She thought. _Shit! Can't believe that I am going to do this._

"Fili? I have an idea." Ella said in her sweetest voice and gave him a kiss. "If you let me go then…"

"Then what?" Fili asked tightening his grip again.

Ella tried not to yelp at the pain and bit her lip. "Then maybe we could have a little fun upstairs." She whispered in his ear and teasingly played with on of the braids on his moustache. She didn't need to say twice and Fili sprinted up the stairs.

_Very dangerous over short distances._ Ella laughed to herself and walked after him. "Bloody dwarves."


	46. Close Your Eyes

The company had stayed in Lake Town for five days and they would leave the day after tomorrow. Ella couldn't wait to be back on the road again. They had been doing the same thing every day. Sing, drink, eat, train and sleep and Ella was starting to grow bored. Doing everything over and over made her go a little insane. It was late in the evening and her fellow companions had gone to the pub. After the little accident she had back there, she hadn't gone back.

Ella rubbed her face and looked at the blank piece of paper in front of her. With a pencil she started to draw a couple of lines and those line turned into doodles of the last couple of weeks. Ella reached for the cookie jar that stood in front of her but it was gone. She looked up from her paper.

"DWALIN!" She shouted forgetting that he had gone to the pub. "Give me my cookies back! Get your own-"

Ella stopped shouting when she saw Fili standing in the doorway with her jar.

"Looking for this?" He asked and took a step closer.

When Fili was in Ella's reach she grabbed the cookie jar out of his hands and put a cookie in her mouth.

"Do not take my food." Ella threatened with the jar. "Get your own."

Fili just chuckled and took a cookie from the jar. "What are you doing?" He asked as he placed himself next to her.

"None of your concern." Ella said and moved the piece of paper away. "It's nothing. Just some crappy sketches, that's all."

"Let me see."

"No!"

"Let me see!" Fili said and reached for the piece of paper.

"No." Ella giggled and held the piece of paper out of his reach. "It's mine."

"Give it." He said and reached over Ella's head. "Come on, let… me… see!"

After struggling for the piece of paper they both fell to the floor.

"Please let me see."

"No!"

Wrestling for the piece of paper, Fili finally managed to pull it from Ella's hands.

"This is really good." Fili said out of breath. "Hey look! There's me! I didn't know you could draw. These are really good… Wh-why did you draw Dwalin like a potato?"

"What are you doing home?" Ella asked and snatched the piece of paper out of his hands.

"Pub wasn't fun enough?"

"No, it was." He said. "But I thought it would be more fun here with you."

"And stealing my cookies is fun?"

"Well yes." He said and took another cookie. "But I have something I want to show you."

"What? Like a surprise?" Ella asked. "What is it?!"

"Why don't you come along and find out?" Fili asked and reached out his hand.

Ella looked into his eyes. They way he looked at her usually meant trouble. For her. With suspicion she took his hand and he led her out of the house.

"Where are we going?" She asked curious but with a smile.

"You'll see." Fili answered. "Wouldn't be much of a surprise if I told you, now would it."

**XxX**

They walked through the streets and over the bridge that connected Lake Town to the shore.

"Close your eyes." Fili said when they were halfway over the bridge.

"Why?" Ella asked. "You're not going to push me in the water are you?"

"Why would I do that?" He asked with a smirk. "I promise I won't, so will you just please close your eyes."

"Alright." Ella giggled and closed her eyes. "But you promised so don't even try to break it."

"I never break my promises." Fili said and kissed her cheek. "Eyes closed? How many fingers am I holding up?"

"I don't know, three. I can't see."

"You are going to love this." He said and grabbed her hand again.

"But-"

"Just trust me."

Ella sighed and Fili pulled her across the other half of the bridge.

"Watch you step." Fili said and helped Ella down from a step. Ella could feel that they were no longer standing on logs but on sand. Fili pulled her further. She felt grass, twigs and leaves under her feet. They were in a forest. _Where are you taking me? _Ella thought to herself. _What are you planning?_

"Still got your eyes closed?" Fili asked.

"Yes." She answered. "But where are you taking me Fili? We can't go to far or they might close the town gates before we return."

"Don't worry, we are almost there. Just keep your eyes closed."

They walked for five more minutes before Fili started to slow down.

"Are we there yet?" Ella asked excited.

"Almost." Fili said and placed his hands over her eyes. "Just a few more steps."

When they stopped Ella could jump in excitement. She really wanted to know where Fili had taken her.

"Ready?" Fili whispered in her ear. Ella just nodded and bit her bottom lip. "Alright, you can open your eyes."

Fili removed his hands and Ella slowly opened her eyes. Ella gasped at what she saw. Fili had lid a couple of candles and had placed them around a picnic blanket that lay beside a part of a river. You could see the Lonely Mountain over the tree with their autumn leaves.

"Happy twentieth birthday." He whispered in her ear and grabbed her by the waist.

"Oh my God Fili," Ella said. "It's beautiful. How did you know it was my birthday?"

"George told me a couple of days ago." He said and pulled her back closer to her chest. "Now, I know that your birthday isn't until tomorrow but tomorrow, being our last night here, I thought I could take you out tonight."

"I don't know what to say." Ella said.

"Just say you love it." Fili chuckled and kissed her head.

"Love it?" She asked and turned around. "This is wonderful and brilliant and sweet and amazing. I can't describe it. It is perfect and I love it!"

Tears started to enter her eyes. "I love it." She sniffed. "And I love you. You have no idea how much this means to me. Nobody has ever done anything like this for me."

Ella grabbed him by his collar and pulled him in for a kiss.

**XxX**

"Did you make this?" Ella asked as she took another bite from the pie they were sharing.

"Course I did." Fili answered.

Ella looked up at him surprise and tilted her head.

"Bombur made it." He said quicly.

"I thought so." Ella said with a smile. "You don't look like the cooking type."

"Trust me." Fili said. "I'm not. Last time I stood in a kitchen I burned half the house down."

"Guess you uncle wasn't happy about that." She giggled. "I would have loved to see his face. He looked scary as hell, didn't he?"

"If you think my uncle is scary, then you should see my mother when she is angry. She is even worse then him."

"What's your mother like?" Ella asked.

"She is of Durin's line, so what would you expect." Fili said as he took another bite. "She can be quite scary and has a bad temper-"

"Like you uncle." Ella interrupted.

"They are brother and sister. What do you think?" Fili chuckled. "But besides that she has the biggest heart and is the most caring and most loving dwarf I have ever know. Besides you of course."

"Do you think your mother will like me?" She asked a bit nervous. "I mean, you know, with the whole earthling thing."

"She will adore you." Fili said and took her hands. "Maybe even more then me. Do you think your family would approve of me if they were here?"

"I don't know." Ella said with a grin and their fingers intertwined and she couldn't help but smile.

"My dad is pretty tough when it comes to his little girl. He would probably hit you in the head for dragging me out on this crazy adventure and he would probably kill you if he saw the scars on my back. But after that, I think he'll like you."

"Thanks for the heads up." Fili said sarcastic and took another bite.

"You know that there is apple in this pie, right? I thought you didn't like apples anymore."

"I know." Fili said with a smile. "There are apples on your half of the pie. I got chocolate. Bombur made it double sided."

"You got what?!" Ella asked with her eyes wide. "No wonder it tasted a little different. Give me!"

"No!" Fili said and pulled the whole pie closer to him, out of Ella's reach.

"Fili!" Ella shouted and crawled over his back when she couldn't reach. "I want some chocolate too!"

"No." Fili chuckled. "Get your own."

"Those are my words!"

Fili shook Ella off and ran away with the pie.

"Fili!" She shouted and ran after him. "Not fair! You're faster then me!"

Ella ran after him into the forest before she lost herself, she had no clue which way to turn.

"Fili?!" She shouted concerned, she felt a small panic rise in her. "Fili, where are you?! This isn't funny! Please Fili, come back! You can have the pie! Fi-!"

She yelped when something grabbed her waist and pinned her to a tree. A couple of lips met hers and she knew that it was him.

"Were you worried about me?" He asked when he broke their kiss.

"Of course I was!" Ella said and hit him in the chest. "You just disappeared!"

"Well I'm back now." He said with and untied the top laces from her corset.

"Fili." Ella said when Fili kissed her neck and threw her corset to the ground. "We can't… Thorin-"

Fili placed his finger on her lips. "Why do you think that I took you all the way out here?" He asked with a stupid smirk on his face.

"Oh you sneaky bastard." Ella giggled and kissed him.

Her hands got tangles in Fili's blond hair and he pushed her harder against the tree. The kiss got quicker and messier and Fili tried to untie every lace he could find on Ella's dress. He pulled of his shirt and lifted Ella up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. They kissed again and Ella couldn't help but giggle as she felt Fili's hand up her thigh. He removed the first layer of her dress and wrapped his arm around her. Fili moved them from the tree closer to the blanket without breaking their kiss. He placed her down on the blanket and started to kiss the skin on her neck and collarbone as Ella untied the laces to his trousers.

**XxX**

"Thorin is going to kill us." Ella laughed, as she looked Fili in his eyes. "He is REALLY going to kill us if he sees us like this."

"He can do whatever he likes." Fili smiled and pushed Ella's hair behind her ear. "At least we had one last moment together."

Ella gave him a gentle kiss and sighed. "To bad we have to go back."

"Not yet. We still have a couple of minutes." Fili said. "We haven't gone swimming yet. You skipped my planning!"

"No, I am not going swimming. It's too cold and the water is freezing."

Fili just laughed and lifted Ella up.

"No Fili!" She screamed and held on to his neck with her eyes wide in horror. "Let me go! Please."

Before Ella could do anything else Fili had thrown her in and jumped in after her.

Ella gasped for air and pushed her hair from her face. "Why did you do that?!" she growled. "You pro-"

"I promised not to push you in." Fili said and moved his own hair from his face. "But I just threw you in so you can't tell me that I broke my promise."

Ella splashed so water in his face. "Your such a jerk!"

Fili wiped the water from his face and grabbed her by her waist. "Isn't that why you love me?"

**XxX**

Ella and Fili walked through the door. Their clothes were half soaked and their hair was messy. They looked at the dwarves sitting in front of the fire. Ella was happy to see that Kili and George had fallen asleep in the armchair across the room. The dwarves and hobbit sent the couple a strange look.

"Trust me," Ella said and placed herself in front of the fire and wrapped Fili's arms around her. "You do not want to know."

**Hey everyone, I hope you enjoyed this chapter :3  
I want to that everyone for the +40.000 views. When I started writing I didn't know that it would be this addictive and with this being my first fanfiction (EVER!) I had not expected this many views, reviews, followers and favorites. I just wanted to thank you all from the bottom of my heart!**

**Again thank you SOOOOO much for everything!**

XxX KneelingAngel :3 


	47. Do Not Mess With The Clock

"It's today! It's today! It's today! It's today!" George shouted and jumped on the sleeping Ella.

Ella let out a soft growling groan and pulled the covers over her head. "_Go away._" She mumbled from beneath them.

"But it's to-da-hay!" He said and shook her shoulder.

"_Yes." _ Ella mumbled. "_That usually what comes after yesterday."_

George jumped off of the bed and started to pull her covers. "Get out of bed, you big and lazy toad! It's your birthday!"

He pulled with all his might but he just couldn't pull of her covers. Ella gave the covers on hard tug and they slipped from George's hands.

"_It was a long night yesterday, so let me sleep."_

George sighed but got had gotten an idea and ran out of her bedroom door.

It didn't take long before someone snatched the covers off of her and jumped on her. Ella was being squashed my eleven dwarves, George and a hobbit.

"Guys get off of me!" She giggled. Ella screamed as they started to tickle her.

"Alright I'm up!" She shouted and pushed them off. "I'm up! Now get off of me."

Ella threw her legs over the edge of the bed. She was still wearing her dress from yesterday evening. She had been too tired to take it off and her hair was even a worse mess then yesterday evening. Fili had pulled the braids out of her hair when they were in the forest. Ella grabbed the comb from her nightstand and brushed her hair. She flinched every time she pulled out a knot.

"I am really getting tired of this long hair!" Ella growled to the others, who were still in her room. Ella's hair was really long in a braid it reached the waist but when it hung loose it would reach just below her hips.

_They couldn't have zapped me here with my short hair._

"I can't even reach it all the way!" She said. "I feel like Rapunzel."

"Can I brush your hair, Elly?" George asked. "Please?"

"Why would you want to brush my hair?" Ella laughed.

"Because that is what we do, we're dwarves now." George said and jumped up the bed behind her. "Fili and Kili brush each others hair. That is what siblings do."

"Ok-ay." Ella said a bit confused and gave George the comb. "Just be care- OW!"

"Sorry." George squeaked.

**XxX**

When George finished, he had tried to braid Ella's hair. It was messy and tangled but Ella couldn't care any less. With a smile on her face she walked down the stairs and when she stepped into the living room she could see everyone smiling at her. The only one who wasn't there was Thorin and Fili. They were doing the final check ups on the company's departure tomorrow. When they walked outside to the garden Ella couldn't help but wonder. There was grass and trees but she had no clue how they had gotten there, you know since they lived in a town on top of a lake.

In the middle of the garden stood a giant cake with four layers and a couple of candles on top.

"Aww, you guys..." She said in her sweetest voice. "You shouldn't have made me a cake."

"Thank Bombur and Bofur for that." Kili said pointing his head at them. "It was their idea."

Ella ran over to the brothers and gave them a hug.  
"This is so freaking awesome!" She almost shouted. "You guys are the BEST!"

"We know." Bofur smiled.

"You still have to blow out your candles." Bombur said.

"Don't forget to make a wish." Bofur added."

Ella turned to the cake and saw that there were twenty candles on top. Ella took a deep breath and blew out all the candles in one blow; she closed her eyes and made her wish.

"What did you ask for?" George asked curious.

"I can't tell you that or it may never come true."

"Please?"

"No."

"But Ella."

Ella couldn't help but giggle at her little brother. "I'll tell you what I wished for when it comes true."

"Alright then." Balin said and patted her on her shoulder. "Who want's some cake?"

**XxX**

Ella sat against a tree and looked at her friends with a piece of cake in her hands. She smiled at her new family. They were laughing and playing around. George and Kili were running after Dwalin the dragon and of course George being George was swinging his new sword in the air, almost taking of Ori's head. Ella raised her hand to her mouth covering her giggle as she watched Ori chasing George. When she lowered her hand again her hand hit something solid. Ella flinched and her eyes shot down. A couple of twigs were growing beside her. At first she laughed but when they started to grow around her waist she felt a little uncomfortable. Before she could shout for help a twig grew over her mouth and the twigs around her waist painfully tightened. Her eyes widened in fear and the tree behind her started to deform. Ella tried to wiggle her way out but the twigs pushed her into the darkness of the tree.

_She stumbled down the stairs and landed with her face first. _

"_Holy fucking hell! What the fuck just happened?! How the fu-"_

"_ELLA! Watch your tongue!" _

_Ella looked up at the voice that shouted her name. George's mom was standing in front of her. "I will not have you speaking like that in my house, young lady! And why are you still not in your Easter clothes? We are going to be late!"_

_With a groan and with her eyes wide, Ella pushed herself up. She rubbed her eyes and pinched her skin but Sandra was still there._

"_You are lucky that George didn't hear you. Are you okay?" she asked concerned. _

_Ella rubbed her head and her eyes widened in disbelieve again._

"_You have got to be fu-! Em… Joking." She quickly corrected. "Why can't my hair just keep one length?! Short, long, short, long and now it's short again?! What the hell is going on?!"_

_Sandra looked at Ella with a confused look._

"_We are going to your grandmother Easter brunch. Don't you remember?"_

_Ella fisted her hair. She was home. She really was home. _

"_Where is George?!" She growled. "Sandra tell me where he is!"_

"_Stop shouting!" Sandra said. "George is upstairs getting… dressed."_

_Ella didn't hear the last part because she was running up the stairs sprinting to George's room. She almost broke down his bedroom door with her foot. George jumped up with a fright. _

"_Ella what are you-?"_

_George was cut off when Ella swooped him up in her arms and spinned him around._

"_Are you okay?!" Ella asked a bit panicked while she checked every inch of him. "Are you hurt?"_

"_I'm okay." George said and took a step back. "Are YOU okay?"_

"_Yeah, I'm fine." She said with her biggest smile and held George in a lung-crushing hug._

_Ella was totally confused. One moment she was sitting on the grass, the next a tree swallowed her and she fell down the stairs. _

"_Ell?"_

_Ella let go off George and saw her brother Jim standing in the doorway. _

"_JIMMY!" She shouted and ran to him jumping in his arms before he to was smothered with kisses. _

"_Ella." He said and tried to push his sister off. "What is wrong with you?" he laughed. "Get off of me!"_

"_No I wont" Ella answered. "I've missed you to damn much."_

"_Ella! Get dressed, we are leaving in ten minutes!" The voice of Ella's father shouted from downstairs. _

"_Dad?!" Ella almost cried. She quickly pushed Jim away from her and ran down the stairs. "Dad!"_

_Her eyes filled themselves with tears as she ran to her father. Her arms tightened around his waist and tears started to run down her face._

"_Oh my God, I thought that I would never see you again!" _

"_Ella what is wrong with you?" He asked with a laugh as he placed his arms around his daughter pulling her into his side. "Did you have a dream about that car crash again?"_

"_Wha-?" Ella wiped away her tears. "Um… no, I-I don't think so. I mean- I was there and now I'm here. I don't get- I mean- I was there and then the leaves-"_

"_It was just a dream, honey." Her father said and kissed her head. "Now get dressed. We're already late."_

_Ella walked back to her room rubbing her face but when she walked she noticed that she walked a bit limp. She felt a pain in her hip. Her father grabbed her arm and helped her up the stairs. _

"_Falling from the stairs it not going to help you heal." He said with a chuckle. "I know you don't like the crutches but you still need to use them, or so help me God, I will get you a wheelchair!"_

"_What happened?" Ella asked._

"_Don't you remember?" Her father asked. "Maybe you fell harder from those stairs then I thought. You broke you hip in the car accident six months ago. Remember now?"_

"_Not really." Ella sighed and walked into her room. "But I'll get dressed."_

_She closed the door behind her and fell onto her bed. How good it felt being back into her own bed, back into her own room. But how had she gotten here, besides being swallowed by a tree?_

"_This is completely ridiculous." She told herself. "How the hell did I get here?! The last thing I expected was to be Alice in Wonderlanded!"_

Ella sat up and looked around. Nothing in her room had changed. Her books, movies, posters, they were all still there. The only thing new was the 'get well soon' cards on her nightstand. She pinched her skin again but nothing changed. 

"_This is not good." Ella said to herself again. "This is not real. It's a dream like all those other times."_

_Ella stood up and walked to her closet. She pulled out a red t-shirt, white jeans and her black leather jacket. She pulled them on and quickly did her make up before grabbing her crutches from the corner and walked down stairs.  
_

"_Ready to go?" Sandra asked._

"_Yeah, I-I think so." Ella answered. "Sorry for shouting and cursing when, you know-"_

"_It's alright, darling." Sandra said and opened the front door for her. "Just don't do it again."_

_**XxX**_

"_Oh look who we have here!" Ella's eyes shot up at the old woman in the garden. Her grandmother was smiling brightly at her. Ella could see her whole family. Aunts, uncles, cousins, old family friends, they were there and to Ella's bigger surprise, so was Dean. George, Jim, Sandra and her father walked in but Ella froze at the garden gate. _

"_This is not true." She quietly mumbled to herself, squeezing her eyes shut. "It can't be."_

_Dean walked up to her and gave her a kiss. _

"_Hey." He said._

"_He-hey." Ella stuttered and Dean leaned in and kissed her again. She shook her head._

_No, not right! NOT. RIGHT. _

"_Are you alright, princess?"_

"_Do not call me that!" Ella snapped. She let go of one of her crushes and rubbed her face._

"_Sorry, it's just that- I'm okay. I- Um… I fell down the stairs." Ella quickly said and let out a sigh._

"_Dean!" Her grandmother shouted and pushed him away a bit. "Leave the poor girl alone and let her come in. Don't worry about him, dear. He's just happy that you are out of the hospital. How is your hip?"_

_Ella blinked a couple of times at the old woman._

"_It's okay." She said with a frown._

"_Your hip is even worse then mine by the look of those crutches. Now sit down and I will get you something to drink, all right? Dean, help her get a chair."_

_Dean did as he was told and gotten Ella the chair next to him. As they sat down Dean placed his hand on her knee. Ella looked at him and her jaw locked. _

'_Remove you hand before I cut it off.' Ella thought but she just sighed and placed her head in her hand._

"_Tick, tock, tick, tock, you must choose the right lock."_

_Ella's head shot up at the hissing voice._

"_Did you say anything?" She asked Dean._

"_No, I was only talking to your uncle about New Zeeland. Are you sure that you are alright?"_

"_Yeah. Yeah." Ella lied. "Perfect."_

"_Here you are dear." Her grandmother said as she placed a glass with coke in front of her. "It may be a little to early for sugar, so don't tell your father." She patted Ella's head and walked to her own chair._

"_ELLA!"__ The image of read eyes and sharp teeth flashed in front of Ella eyes. __"Tick, tock, tick, tock, do not play WITH THE CLOCK!"_

_Ella took in a deep breath of panic and quickly looked around. _

"_Ella?" Sandra asked. "Are you feeling alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."_

_Dean raised his hand to her forehead to feel her temperature but Ella quickly pushed it away._

"_Don't touch me!" She shouted and stood up. "Everybody just leave me alone! None of you are real, so just get the hell away from me!" and she ran away._

_**XxX**_

_Behind the house was a small forest Ella used to play in when she was little. She ran as fast and as far away as she could. But as she ran through the forest she felt twigs and branches grabbing her._

"_NO!" She shouted before she was being pulled away back into darkness. "Please!"_

_**XxX**_

_Ella found herself tied up on the floor by twigs and veins. She pulled and twisted with all her might but they wouldn't break._

"_Well look at this__." The hissing voice said. "__It's the almighty earthling__."_

_Ella could hear mocking laughter around her. _

"_Who are you?!" Ella growled at the shadow in the dark. Ella could see his red eyes and sharp teeth. It was the image that kept flashing through her head. It was him. "What do you want from me?!"_

"_We want you to STOP MESSING WITH THE TIME!"__ He shouted. __"You messed UP! You were supposed to stay hidden! But noooo, little miss princess had to be found by a couple of dwarves, go on their quest and even fall in love with one of them!"_

"_Who are you?!" Ella asked again only this time with a shaking voice._

"_Let's just say that we are the __ones who are meant to set things straight. But you are to stubborn to LISTEN to our WARNINGS__!" The creatures voice went from a hiss to a rumble. __"We had hoped that you would listen during Mirkwood but no. So we had to come up with an other solution__!"_

"_You forced me to go into the water." Ella said in barely a whisper. "You wanted me to forget."_

"_You are changing the future__." The voice said. "__YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CHANGE THE FUTURE! YOU LISTEN TO OUR ORDERS! WE TELL YOU WHEN TO PROTECT THEM OR LET THEM FALL, WE TELL YOU TO POINT THE DIRECTION AND WHEN TO LEAD THEM ASTRAY, WE TELL YOU WHETHER THEY GET TO LIVE OR DIE! But you kept on ignoring us! So we had to get rid of you and we would have if those dwarves weren't there to protect you."_

"_The bear." Ella gasped. "The infection."_

"_A smart little thing you are."__ He laughed. __"But apparently you survived that so we sent you to Mirkwood but that DIDN'T DO US ANY GOOD WHAT SO EVER! So we are choosing for plan C."_

_Two mirrors appeared next to Ella. It had both an image of her in it, one was in her Middle Earth form and one in her 'normal' form. _

"_You get to choose who gets to live."__ The voice hissed again._

_The twigs around Ella loosened and she was able to break herself free. _

_She looked into the first mirror. It was gray and Ella could hear screams and weapons hitting and slicing through skin. Blood was flying around and Ella looked away when she heard someone scream her name. _

_The second mirror was a different story. She heard laughter and happy voices. Green grass and tall trees past by but she could feel that her heart was empty._

"_Who has to die?" Ella asked with tears in her eyes. She closed them as the tears started to roll down her cheeks._

_The dark shadow laughed. __"You."_

XxX

Ella opened her eyes with a gasp. Had bound her against the tree and she quickly pushed herself away from it. Ella quickly climbed to her feet and pulled the closest dwarf closer to herself clinging to his shirt as she climbed up his back.

"Ow!" A voice shouted. "Lass what are you doing?!"

Ella looked down and saw that she had climbed on Bofur's back. Again. He tried to shake her of but just like Beorn's hall, he needed help. Bifor, Dori and Dwalin pulled her off but when they tried to put her on the ground she pulled up het legs and held on to Dwalin's neck. He tried to loosen her arms but every time he did Ella just tightened her grip.

"Lass, lass." Balin said calm as he walked up to his brother. "It's alright. You just got a little carried away with the tree and your powers."

"No." Ella mumbled with tears in her eyes. "Please don't put me down. Please, I beg of you, don't put me on the ground."

The smiles on everyone's faces faded when they saw that Ella wasn't just scared but terrified.

"Is it alright if we put you down in your room?" Dwalin asked as he felt the girl in his arms shake. Ella nodded and he carried her away.

"Oin, go and have a look at her." Balin said. "Kili, get your brother. He might be the only one to get her to talk."

**Hey everyone :3  
I don't know why I wrote this chapter. It was stuck in my head and I just had to write it down. Let me know what you thought about it :3 In the next chapter they will leave Lake Town and travel closer to the mountain… DUN DUN DUUUUNNN! :3**

XxX KneelingAngel


	48. Leaving Lake Town

Fili, Thorin and Kili crashed through the front door and raced up the stairs.

"Ella!" Fili shouted.

Everybody was sitting outside of Ella's room with worried looks on their faces.

"Where is she?" Fili asked. "What happened?"

"Calm down lad." Balin said. "She is still in one piece."

"But what happened?"

"We don't know." Oin said. "She won't talk to us. She got herself a pretty bad scare this afternoon."

Fili walked up to the door but was held back by Dwalin.

"She needs to rest." He said. "She doesn't look like she want to talk to anyone."

"I will decide that for myself." Fili pushed Dwalin's hand from his shoulder and walked inside.

Fili looked at the bed but Ella wasn't there. She was sitting in a corner, her knees pulled up and hugging a pillow. He carefully moved closer to her.

"_Go away_." Ella mumbled into her pillow when Fili got to close. "_Please just leave me alone._"

Why Fili tried to move closer again she looked up. Fili froze. The colors of her eyes were almost glowing green; tears were rolling down her cheeks and the neon stripe in her hair was glowing. When Ella noticed it herself, she buried her face back into the pillow again.

"_Don't make me say it again._" She sobbed. "_Please Fili, just this once._"

"Alright." Fili sighed and stood up before walking out the door.

**XxX**

The sun was just above the horizon when Thorin ordered everybody to wake up. He knocked on Ella's door and carefully opened. When Thorin noticed that the bed hadn't been slept in. His eyes quickly scattered around the room and found Ella asleep on the floor. He walked closer to the sleeping girl and shook her lightly.

"Ella wake up, we're-"

Thorin was forced to the ground with Ella on top of him. She was about to hit him in the face but Thorin grabbed her fist an inch away from his face.

Ella shook her head and realized what she had done. She lowered her fist and closed her eyes, forcing rising tears to go away.

"I-I-I'm sorry." She stuttered and opened her eyes. "I didn't mean to."

Thorin moved the girl from his chest and into sitting position.

"Ella, what is wrong with you?" He asked.

"I'm just scared." Ella sobbed and shook her head. "I can't do this."

"Can't do what?"

"I can't protect you." She answered as small tears started to run down her cheeks. "I can't have you guys die on me."

"You are not the one responsible for our protection." Thorin said and hesitated before he pulled her in for a hug. "And we are not going to die. Where did you ever get such an idea?"

"I saw it." Ella cried into his chest. "I saw it happen. They showed me!"

Thorin lifted her chin. "The future is not written in stone, young one." He wiped away her tears. "We create the future as we go so nobody knows what it, truly, holds. Now get ready to leave."

Thorin pushed her away a little and stood up.

"There is no need to be afraid." And he walked out the door leaving Ella alone in her room. Ella took a deep breath and rose from the floor.

"He's right." Ella mumbled to herself and walked to the closet pulling out her traveling clothes, dark knee-high boots, a grey legging, a deep blue dress that went to her knees, black leather corset and a long black leather jacket. Ella quickly pulled them on and quickly fixed her hair.

"If those idiotic shadows think that they can control me, then they are wrong. I hope."

Ella shuffled down the stairs and found everyone waiting for her. Fili took her hand and helped her down the last couple of steps before Ella crushed him in a hug.

"I'll tell you later, okay?" She whispered in his ear.

Fili kissed the top of her head and Ella took it as a yes. He took her hand and followed the others out the door.

They walked in one long line through the people of Lake Town. When they reached a couple of boats that would lead them along the River Running, Ella's stomach gave a mean twist. The images of the battlefield that she had seen in the mirror started to settle in the back of her mind, and Ella couldn't do but worry about what they would find once they reached the mountain.

There were four boats. Thorin, Balin, Dori and Ori were in the first one. Bifor, Nori, Oin, Gloin in the second. Fili, Kili, George and Bofur in the third and Dwalin, Bombur and Ella in the forth. Before Ella stepped in she had one last look at the town and it's people. She looked at the Town Master. There was a look of relief in his eyes and Ella could see that he was happy with their leave.

_Bastard. _Ella though. _He might wish us good luck but he means the exact opposite!_

**XxX**

"Bombur! Stop complaining!" Ella said a little dramatic after hearing Bombur complain for about three hours.

"But I'm always the last one!" Bombur whined. "I never get to be first."

"Well Dwalin and I are last too, so to complaining about it!" Ella snapped. "And if you don't ,then I will make you row. Dwalin could use a break. How are you holding up by the way?"

"I can still feel my arms." Dwalin joked.

"Just say when you want a break," Ella said. "Bombur can take over any time, am I right Bombur?"

Bombur immediately shut up and crossed his arms.

"Ella! Ella! Look!" Ella turned to face George who was pointing at the trees. His boat was floating just beside hers.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Look at that tree." He laughed.

"What about it?"

"It's the only tree who has green leaves!"

Ella turned to face the tree George was pointing at and there it was a tree with spring green leaves. Its fellow trees, with their autumn leaves, surrounded the tree and when Ella recognized the place she couldn't help but smile. It was the place Fili had taken her on the evening before her birthday. Ella had to hold in her giggle when she noticed that that was the tree that Fili had her pinned against.

_Can't believe I did that._ She thought to herself. _Guess love really makes you do stupid things. _She shot Fili a quick look and by the way he looked back at her she could tell that he remembered what happened there too.

**XxX**

After a whole day in the boat they finally made camp. They had stored enough food in their bags for a proper meal and Ella couldn't have been happier with the hot soup that Bombur had made. Kili and Fili had decided that I would be fun to splashed water over her with their peddles during the trip and Ella was freezing.

Oin and Gloin had made a nice fire, which she, Bilbo and Balin were sitting around.

"Stupid dwarves." Ella mumbled with a shaking breath as she ate from her soup. "Why am I always the one who ends up as a victim?"

"You're an easy target." Balin teased. "How are you feeling? You worried us all with yesterdays event."

"I'm sorry." She said and took a deep breath while she placed down her bowl. "I didn't mean to make you all worry but I'm better now."

"What happened?" Bilbo asked.

"I don't really want to talk about it." She answered shaking her head. "I'm just a bit scared now that were reaching closer to the mountain."

"You're not the only one." Bilbo said with a small smile. "Trust me."

For a quick second Ella flinched when someone put a blanket around her. She looked up and saw Fili and Kili smiling down at her.

"You know that you two are going to pay for what you did, right?" Ella snorted and rolled her eyes. The brothers placed themselves next to her. Fili tried to put his arm around her but she shook it off.

"Don't think so." Ella said with a teasing smile. "Not after what you did."

"Stop being so negative and come here!" He laughed and reached out for her but Ella quickly moved backwards causing him to hug Kili's waist.

"Aww." Ella said looking at the two brothers. "Aren't you two the cutest?"

"Now you're just asking for it." Fili and Kili as together and slowly rose to their feet readying themselves for a chase. Ella let out a small scream and jumped to her feet. She ran circles around the camp with the handsome brothers chasing her.

"George help!" She screamed and ran up to him. "Don't let the trolls eat me!

George laughed as the three of them ran past him and before even thinking twice, he unsheathed his brand new sword and ran after them, sword in the air.

"The princess is mine you stupid potatoes!"

Fili and Kili stopped where they stood.

"Potatoes?" The brothers asked.

"Can't think of anything better?" Kili asked with a smirk. "I don't think that trolls will find potatoes very insulting."

"But what am I supposed to say then?" George asked.

"Try, dried up warg turd." Kili suggested. "Or sons of muddy, watered, earth killing, tree sha-"

"FILI!" Ella screamed.

"It wasn't me!" Fili protested lifting his hands. He punched Kili in the arm. "It was Ki-"

"FILI!" Ella screamed again. "HELP!"

Both the brothers spun around to Ella's voice and the rest of the company jumped to there feet. Everybody had their weapons in their hand and ran to her voice.

"George stay here." Thorin ordered as they ran to the forest..

"But- But- No!" George shouted and held his sword the way Thorin had taught him. "She's my sister!"

"Don't argue with me!" The king snapped. "Balin, Bilbo stay with him!"

**XxX**

Ella ran through the trees away from Fili and Kili who were chasing her but she panicked when she felt a couple of twigs grabbing her arms and wrists.

"_Tick tock tick tock, did we not warn you about the clock?!" _The hissing voice warned. Ella looked around but could see the shadow anywhere.

"Where are you?!" Ella asked as she tried to pull herself away from the twigs and vines. "Show yourself! Leave me alone you son of a bitch! What do you want from me?!"

"_Mwahahaha! Look how venerable you are. Pathetic! You still need to make a choice and I have very little PATIENCE!" _

"Stop messing with my head!" Ella shouted. "Now show yourself!" 

"_Ah, so the pretty princess you wish to see me? Then I shall grand you your wish."_

At the moment he finished speaking, the twigs and vines started to pull Ella closer to a tree.

"No!" Ella growled and fought back with all her might. "Let me go! Please!"

"_So weak you are." _The hissing voice chuckled. _"They are all better off without you. Maybe we could do them a favor."_

"No!" Ella shouted.

"_Sorry sweetheart. You don't have a say in this."_

"FILI!"Ella screamed. There wasn't another word that would leave her lips. When the twigs pulled her against the tree, she screamed again. "FILI! HELP!"

It didn't take long for the company to reach her and cut her out of the hold of the tree.

"_You were lucky this time princess." _The voice hissed as she held on to Fili's tunic while they moved away. _"You will not find yourself so lucky next time!"_

**XxX**

"Ella." Fili said as he sat her down next to the fire. "Ella what is going on?"

Ella was shaking from head to toe and when she tried to make words leave her mouth, she started to cry.

"Was it the same thing you told me this morning?" Thorin asked carefully.

Ella just nodded as she continued to cry into Fili's chest and Thorin quickly told the company what she had told him.

"Here," Oin said and handed her a small cup. "It will help you calm down."

Ella chugged down the awful tasting liquid in one breath. Everyone looked concerned at her. First the nightmares and now this and they couldn't do anything about it, which made them worry even more. George crawled up on Ella's lap and gave her a tight hug.

"Hush little baby don't you fear,

The dwarves and hobbit are all still here." A small smile grew upon everyone's faces as little George started to sing his made up lullaby.

"But if you are alone and all is lost,

We will find you no matter the cost.

And if the price will be to high,

We will send a bird into the sky.

And if that bird don't want to fly,

Then… Then… Then we will force it and will crash down and die."

Ella let out a small and short laugh at the last sentence.

"I knew that would work!" George said with a huge smile on his face.

**Hope you guys liked it. I know that it has been a while (again) before this update but making them leave wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. But I still hope you enjoyed :3**

**XxX KneelingAngel**


	49. The Calming Words of a Hatted Dwarf

Ever since they woke up Ella flinched at everything that moved. From leaves falling to the ground to branches bending in the wind and it was driving her mad. Ella had not spoken a word to anyone in the morning before they stepped into the boats again.

Ella quietly hummed herself a song trying to calm her fears. She pulled the bottom of her knee high dress until the fabric was showing signs of breaking; she kept pulling the exact same spot. Bombur was rowing this time, so their boat was a little behind the others and Dwalin kept a close eye on her.

Ella almost jumped into the water when a leaf landed in the boat, causing it to rock into the water.

"Lass, calm down." Dwalin said quickly but calm. "It's just a leaf it won't hurt you. Nothing will while we are in the boat."

Ella believed him but she still held her knees closed to her chest as she played with the braid that had Fili's bead on it. Dwalin rolled his eyes and lowered the leaf in the water.

"It's gone." He said and lifted his hands in the air showing her that they were empty.

_I'm going insane!_ Ella thought. _It was just a stupid leaf! It wouldn't hurt me right? Well, twigs and trees are not supposed to push and swallow you into darkness, either, but they did! Or maybe it was just my imagination? No! No, it wasn't! What am I going to do?_

Ella felt a muscle turn in her stomach and bit her lip at the pain.

"Ella, are you-"

Ella lifted her hand at the fat dwarf rowing in front of her.

"Just a stomachache." She said. "Guess I could use some food. I'm SO hungry."

"Me too." Bombur said. "How I would die for my wife's roasted pork with-"

"Not helping Bombur."

"Sorry." He quickly said.

**XxX**

Ella looked at her new weapons. She had a new sword and a war hammer had replaced her ax. Fili had managed to dress Ella with enough daggers. Three in her right boot, two in her left, one in every arm and two under her dress. He had checked her and double-checked her before they stepped into the boats. All those knives made Ella uncomfortable especially sitting down for so long and seeing the mountain getting closer is not helping her calm down either. Erebor, the last of the great dwarven kingdoms of Middle Earth. Ella had never noticed how big the mountain actually was.

"What did it look like?" Ella asked Dwalin.

Dwalin shot her a confused look.

"The mountain." Ella pointed. "What did it look like, you know, before the dragon?"

"I will bet my beard that you would have loved it, lass." Dwalin said with a big smile as he thought back to the good old days. "I was a young lad at the time. Though I was still young I was one of the place guards. I went with Thorin where ever he went-"

"You still do." Ella interrupted with a small smile.

"Aye." Dwalin said. "I have always been loyal to him and his kin and there is no one who will be able to change that. I cannot wait to see the mountain from the inside again. To see those tall walls, to walk across the many stairs of Erebor, and the gold, to see the gold that belongs to the dwarves and the dwarves alone."

Ella shook her head, as the big dwarf was lost in his thoughts as he told her the rest of his story.

"Do you think that the dragon is still there?" Ella asked maybe a little too worried. "I mean, could the dragon be alive after all these years?"

"Who knows," Bombur said. "Dragons can become hundreds of years."

Ella started to pull her skirt again and Dwalin punched Bombur in the arm.

"You're not helping." He hissed.

"But there is a big chance that he's dead." Bombur said quickly. "It has been along time since Smaug entered the mountain, after all."

"What do we do if he's still alive?" Ella asked. "We can't just walk in and go like; 'Oh hey, this mountain is ours, we were here first. So if you would be so kind to leave then we would really appreciate it!' Why don't we just drown ourselves while we're at it?!"

Ella buried her face in her hands and took a deep breath. "My head hurts."

_Damn outbursts. Damn mood swings! Argh! Just shoot me now!_

With a low growl Ella leaned over the edge of the boat and trailed her fingers against the current.

**XxX**

They reached their stop again and they tied the boats to the shore. When Ella stepped out she took a deep breath. _It's just the ground. Just the ground! Nothing will happen everybody is here. The shadow can't reach me. Hopefully. I got the others to protect me and I have enough knives, for just in case. I can do this… Oh, who am I kidding? I can't do this. There is no way in hell that we are going to survive this!_

At that very moment she felt a couple of arms wrapping around her, which caused her to jump a little.

"You are thinking." Fili said and kissed the back of her shoulder. "I don't like it when you think."

"Sorry." Ella said and placed her hands on his. "It's just that- I can't- I'm so scared Fili, all the time. Thinking is the only thing that calms me down. I feel like such an idiot."

"That is because you are an idiot." Fili said with a smirk on his face and turned her around. "But you're my idiot."

"Is this supposed to make me feel better?" She asked with her brow raised.

"Only if it's working."

"Damn you and your sparkly blue eyes." Ella said softly. "Stop being so darn cute all the time!"

Fili just chuckled and pulled her closer to his chest and moved his lips closer to hers making them almost touch.

"So it's working then?"

Ella gave him a gentle kiss.

"No." She said and tried to push him off but Fili grabbed her before she got away.

With a yelp Ella crashed back into his chest and caused them to stumble to the ground. Fili grabbed her tight around the waist and kissed her as if he hadn't kissed her in days. His hand slowly moving up Ella's leg and stopped on her thigh. Ella's hands had moved up in Fili's hair and a soft moan fell from her lips when she felt Fili's hand on her leg.

"Stop it before the others see us." Ella mumbled between kisses. Fili hummed in agreement but didn't stop. He only made it worse when he deepened their kiss and he moved his hand up to unlace her corset.

Ella placed her hand on his. "Fili, please don't-." She looked up and pushed the tears back. "I'm sorry. I can't. Not now"

Ella pushed herself up with a sigh and placed herself next to him rubbing her eyes.

"Ella?! Fili?!" Bilbo shouted beyond the rocks on the side of the river. "Where are you?!"

"Over here!" Fili groaned as he pushed himself up. "We will be right there! Are you alright love?"

"Yeah-. No-" Ella said taking a deep breath. "Just… hungry and tired. Yesterday night wasn't the best night, you know. It just kept coming back."

Fili gave a small smile and placed a flower in Ella's hair.

"You have nothing to worry about." He said as he lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "We will get through this. In one piece. No harm will come to us."

"Can you promise me that?"

"You know I can't, Ella."

Ella gave him a small but tired smile and Fili helped her to her feet.

Hand in hand, Ella and Fili walked to the others. A smile grew on their faces when they saw that Ella was smiling at them a little.

"Ella would you care to help me prepare dinner?" Bombur asked breaking the silence. "You are a better help then Bofur, to say at least."

Bofur hit Bombur in the head, which caused Ella to giggle a little to everyone's surprise.

"Sure." She said and let go of Fili's hand. "But where is-?"

"Out hunting with Kili." Balin answered before she finished her question. "They will be back soon."

**XxX**

"Ella! Ella!" George shouted as he jumped up in the air. "Look what I did!"

Ella flinched and quickly turned around. A smile replaced her fear for a moment as she saw George holding a dead rabbit in the air.

"I killed it!" he said overjoyed. "Look, it's dead! See?!"

"I see, I see." Ella laughed but quickly pointed to Bombur, as he was about to hand it to her. "That ain't my department!"

Bombur and Ella quickly finished up dinner and handed every one a bowl. Once everyone had Ella grabbed some food herself and placed herself with the others.

"I am so hungry!" Ella said before she ate from her food.

"Bombur! You've had enough already!" She shouted, as he wanted to grab some more.

"How long do we have to stay in those boats?" George asked. "When are we going to reach the mountain?"

"By the end of tomorrow." Thorin said. "There will be a couple of men waiting for us with ponies and new supplies for our travel to the mountain. If we are lucky then we shall reach it before night fall tomorrow evening."

Ella choked on her stew and fear started to crawl its way back up her body.

"T-to-tomorrow?" She stuttered, placing down the bowl and pulling her skirt. "N-no. You're serious?"

Fili grabbed her hand, trying to calm Ella's nerves but she flinched at his touch. She stroked her fingers through her hair and sighed. Lost in her mind, she didn't hear the rest of what Thorin said.

_Tomorrow!_ She though panicking. _Tomorrow! And then we still need to find that stupid invisible door and kill the dragon! We can't do it! It is just too stupid for words. Something is going to go very wrong. Damn this quest and everything around it!_

She looked up to the mountain and could hear the dragons laugh. She started to feel nauseas and had the feeling to throw up but she never did. Fili and Kili were rubbing her back and Ella could feel herself calm down again.

"I think I gonna go for a walk." Ella said and stood up.

"You want one of us to come with you?" Kili asked.

"No thanks. I just need to think for a while. I wont be long." _Hopefully._

**XxX**

"Stupid Mountain. Stupid dragon. Stupid quest!" Ella was pacing around. "'Luck, safety, protection and direction.' Ha! I've caused nothing but trouble in this stupid quest!"

"'No Ella, you're an earthling.'" She said imitating lord Elrond. "'No one has ever seen on only in visions and dreams.' Well I am freaking real and they see me so that is a fucking lie!"

"'You broke the rules.'" She said imitating the shadow. "You were supposed to stay hidden.' Well I can't hide if they keep finding me, now can I?!"

"'If you look into you heart, you will always find the right answer.'" Ella said imitating Galadriel. "The stupidest answer ever! I can't just cut myself open and ask my heart 'Oh hey! I don't know what to do so could you tell me what to do?!"

Ella stomped her feet and the ground shook a little. "Stop it!" She shouted and it stopped.

Ella let out a frustrated sigh and dropped herself on the ground. Lying on her back she looked up to the stars. "What on earth am I doing here? Why am I here?"

As she talked to herself she hadn't noticed the hatted dwarf crawling up behind her until he sat next to her.

"HOLY SHIT!" Ella said and placed a hand on her heart. "You scared the Jesus out of me! What are you doing here?"

"Everybody has gone off to bed. You should get some rest too, you know."

"You know why I can't sleep, Bofur. So don't even try to make me."

"You should let your fears get to you lass." He said with a small smile. "It will ruin you in the end. What are you afraid of?"

Ella took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I saw a battlefield in front of the mountain and I saw blood and heard the cries. I can't loose you guys. I know that this is sounds weird but… I can't have this quest end. What will happen to me? Elrond said that earthlings are there when a quest is set out but what happens when we finished the quest? I don't want to disappear. I can't leave George, who wasn't even supposed to be here! But I had to drag him though this shit anyways. I am the worst sister in the history of worst sisters."

"Lass stop it!" Bofur said a bit strict. "You are not allowed to talk about yourself that way, ya hear? I know you think that you are nothing but trouble, but let me tell you something else. If you wouldn't have been with us, we would all have been long dead."

"You know that's not true!" Ella snapped. "I have only put your lives in more danger!"

"Ha! Tell yourself what ever you want, lass but that is not how I think."

Ella raised her brow.

"You might have injured yourself in the progress of saving us but you still saved us." Bofur started. "You bought us more time with the trolls. You distracted the goblin king long enough with your endless talking." He gave Ella a smile only Bofur can give which made Ella giggle softly. "You helped Bilbo with the warg and held the tree in its place when we were hanging over the cliff. You tried to safe my bother from drowning in Mirkwood. You also tried to pull Thorin away from the elves as he stepped into the circle. Do you want me to go on?"

"No, I get it." Ella sighed.

"Then stop acting as if we're going to disappear any moment." Bofur said and pulled Ella to her feet. "As long as you are still with us then nothing can hurt us."

"I've been acting like a real bitch haven't I?" Ella asked as the walked back to camp.

"Maybe just a little." Bofur chuckled. "But you are not the worst. You should see my brother's wife."

Ella couldn't hold her giggle.

"Now get some sleep." Bofur said and led Ella to where Fili, Kili, and George were sleeping. "You will need it after your night yesterday."


	50. A Bird On Her Shoulder

Finally after two and a half days in the boats they reached the men with their ponies. Ella couldn't be more then happy at this point. She had woken with Fili's arm around her and she felt as if a load had been lifted from her shoulders. Bofur words had reached her and she decided to enjoy every moment with her favorite dwarves. Though there was still a wrong feeling in the bottom of her stomach when the greeted the men from the town. There were sixteen ponies, one for every single on of them.

"Will you travel with us?" Ella asked the two men standing in from of her as the dwarves where setting up camp.

"No and not at any rate." They had answered. "Not until the songs have come true."

"Songs?" Ella and George questioned and then they remembered the songs that the people of Lake Town had sung about them and the dragon.

"You still don't believe them when we have come this far?" George asked.

They shook their heads.

_Cowards! _Ella thought. _Even I'm scared to death and I'm still coming._

"But then what are you still doing here?" Ella asked annoyed and placed a hand on her hip. "Why don't you just-"

George kicked Ella in the leg.

"Thank you for the ponies." He said with a smile. "Say hi to Bard from me when you see him again."

The men nodded and headed back the way they came.

"I don't like them." Ella mumbled nd rubbed the stop where George had kicked her.

"Neither do I." He said. "But at least they brought us the ponies, right? And I get to ride alone this time!"

"Happy about that?" Ella asked playfully. "Wasn't it fun to ride with me?"

"I didn't mind but I don't think the pony liked you." George said with a smile. "Maybe you were too heavy."

"Are you saying I look fat?!" Ella teased as she held George upside down and moved closer to the river. "You better not or I might drop you in the water."

"No! No!" George giggled. "I didn't say fat, I said… Cat! Yes cat! That's what I said."

"Sure, baby boy. Whatever you say." Ella laughed and put George down before ruffling his hair. "Let's go and see how far the guys are with the camp."

**XxX**

Ella was the first to wake. The early winter winds had managed to crawl under her blanket and no matter what she did, she couldn't fall back asleep. When she felt the wind again, she let out a soft growl and pushed herself up before walking over the still sleeping dwarves with her blanket around her. Without knowing what to do, she decided to start packing. The quicker they left the better.

"… For I don't want the world to see me…" Ella mumbled a song to herself as she filled the water skins. "… For I don't think that they'd understand…"

"What are you doing?" Ella jumped and turned around.

"Why does everybody have to keep scaring me?!" Ella shouted at Thorin. "Jesus Christ!"

"You should try to get as much rest as you can." Thorin chuckled. "There is still about two hours left."

"Screw you." Ella laughed and continued with the skins. "It's to cold to fall asleep again. I'm not a furnace like you weirdoes."

"I see you are feeling better."

"Yes." Ella said and faced him. "Bofur managed to calm me down somehow."

"Good." Thorin said. "Now finish up and get back to bed."

Ella rolled her eyes and grabbed the water skins in her arms.

"Yes father." She said teasingly and walked back to camp.

**XxX**

As they started to ride in the morning, everyone's spirits had started to fall. There was no song, no merry tune nothing but silence. They traveled slowly because there was no path. Bilbo and Balin were riding in the back with each a pony heavy loaded with stuff for the rest of the journey. The dwarves started to feel the feeling that Ella had had ever since they left Lake Town. They now realized that their journey could have a horrible end.

Ella felt worried and fear crawl up her body ever since she jumped on her pony. Her stomach had dropped once more and as they rode across the pale fields her stomach started to turn painfully. The fields were pale and there wasn't a bush or tree standing anywhere, which caused Ella to worry about the dragon even more.

"We are getting near to Ravenhill." Thorin said from the front of the group breaking the silence. "We make our first camp on the western side."

"Why can't we just go in through there?" George asked as he pointed to the Front Gate. He had noticed that the River Running lead straight to it. "The doors are already open."

Ella shushed him. "We can't just walk into the Front Gate when there is a dragon, now can we?" Ella said in a low voice. "Why would Gandalf otherwise have given us a key to the back door?"

"Oh, hehe." George giggled. "Forgot about that."

**XxX **

Fili, Kili, Balin and Bilbo had been sent out to scout out the southern tracks on the side of the mountain, close to the Front Gates. George asked if he could go with but Kili had been wise, for once, and had made George promise that he would stay with his sister. Kili had handed George back to Ella.

"Please be careful." Ella said as Fili was about to walk away.

"We will." He answered and walked after the others

Ella tried to keep herself busy and tried to think as little as possible about what could go wrong. She had helped Bofur and Bombur with the food. She had gotten everybody's bedrolls ready and made a fire together with Gloin. When none of them needed her help anymore she had decided to braid her hair in so many different ways over and over again.

"KILI!" George shouted and ran to the returning dwarves. Ella looked up from her hair that she had been braiding for the twenty-fifth time.

"Back already?" She asked as the brothers seated themselves next to her. "Find something?"

"No." Fili signed.

"Nothing." Kili said with George on his lap and placed his head against the small boys back.

"What's wrong?" Ella asked a bit worried. "You saw something. What did you see?"

"There is smoke coming from the Front Gate." Fili said.

"Either the dragon is still in there or he is keeping watch on the other side of the mountain." Kili continued

Ella forced her muscles to relax as she could start to feel them tense.

"So what do we do know?" She asked.

"We get some rest." Thorin ordered. "We continue the search tomorrow."

**XxX**

The next morning they moved the camp up a long valley. According to the map the door should be right above them.

"Kili can I come with this time?" George asked with his puppy eyes. "Please, please, pretty please?!"

"No George I don't think-"

"But please… I won't do anything stupid. I'll behave! I'll do exactly as you say."

Kili shook his head and George went to Balin.

"Please Balin." He said again. "I really want to go! I will do exactly as you guys. Oh please. Pleeaassee?!"

"If I let you come with us will you stop looking at me like that?" The old dwarf asked.

George quickly nodded his head.

"Alright then." Balin said. "But you should ask your sister too."

"Ella!" He shouted. "I'm going with Balin, Fili, Kili and Bilbo up the mountain!"

Before Ella even got a chance to protest George was already dragging himself and Balin towards the mountain.

**XxX**

"We found it!"  
Ella and Nori stopped talking and their eyes shot up at the voice above them.

"WE FOUND IT!"

"Are you sure?!" Thorin shouted up.

"Yes uncle! There is no mistake!" Kili shouted back down.

After hours of waiting for them to come down they had finally found the door and Ella's heart was racing.

_They found the door! _She thought excited. _Wait, what?! They found the INVISIBLE door?! An unseen door! How in the name of this wide world did they find it?!_

Thorin and the other didn't even think of asking the same questions as her and they threw up a rope. Before Ella knew it, a rope was tied around her waist.

"Wait! What the hell?!" Ella asked surprised, and maybe a little angry, at Thorin in front of her. "What are you doing?!"

"You need to climb up."

"What?! No!" She said in the exact same tone as before. "I am not going to climb the stupid mountain! I'm supposed to go last! I always go last!"

A tug on the rope from above made her shut up.

"Just climb." Thorin said and helped her until Ella had a good grip on the side of the mountain.

_You have got to be fucking kidding me._ Ella thought and let out a breath as she climbed up the mountain wall. _You'll see, when I reach upstairs that it's not the damn door they have been talking about. If I've climbed up all this way for nothing, then they are going to be the first ones who reach the ground. Starting with Thorin and his pretty perfect nephews! _

_Why do they have to be so far up?! My goodness! I can't believe that I'm doing this again after Norway. This is absolutely the last time that I am doing something as stupid as this! Never EVER am I going to climb a freaking mountain AGAIN! This time I swear on my own grave! Damn it! I should have worked on my condition._

Kili pulled Ella up the last couple of feet with a huff.

"If you say that I'm heavy I will kick you down right now instead of later." Ella said giving him a stern look as she untied her rope.

**XxX**

Finally after getting everybody, except Bofur and Bombur, up Kili led them to the spot where the 'door' would be. There were stones, that if you looked closely, that you could see stairs as it trailed up.

"So maybe they found the door after all." Ella mumbled softly.

"Did you say something, My Lady?" Dori asked.

"No, nothing." She quickly said.

Ella had to hold her giggle as she could see Fili and George pushing and kicking the wall they though to be the door.

"This better be the door, Balin." Thorin growled softly. "Or our journey will have been for nothing!"

**XxX**

Ella sat against the side of the wall as Fili, Kili and George kept doing there best in trying to push it open. Ella would have smiled if she wasn't thinking so hard.

_What did the map say again?__ 'Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key-hole.' _

"Today is Durin's Day, isn't it?" Ella asked.

"Aye, it is." Dwalin said. "Let's hope that those moon ruins we're right or we have gone through all this misery for nothing."

_Keyhole... _Ella thought as she returned to her mind. _What keyhole? There is nothing but a stonewall. The sun is almost in its place but where is the bird and the keyhole?_

Ella almost jumped out of her skin when a bird landed on her shoulder. She shook her arm in the air but it would move.

"Hold still." Thorin ordered her in a strong but calm voice. "This has to be it."

"What? What-What do I do?" Ella asked a little scared as she looked at the thrush on her shoulder. "It's not going to eat me, is it?"

"I don't think its here to eat you lass." Balin said. "Try and move closer to the wall."

As carefully as Ella could she pushed herself on her feet, her eyes never leaving the bird, and walked to the wall.

As Ella stood across the wall, it looked like the bird was waiting for her to do something.

_Stand by the wall. _Ella thought to herself. _I'm part of the key. _

Her eyes widened. "I'm part of the key." She whispered in disbelief. "Holy shit!"

Ella reached out her arm and touched the wall as the bird jumped across and just sat on her wrist until the sun was standing in the right place. It hit his head against the wall a couple of times and a piece of stone broke before a small hole with a golden glow appeared.

"G-G-Guys." Ella said. "GUYS!"

The dwarves began to push against the wall but it still didn't move.

"The key." Bilbo said. "The key! Where is Thorin?!"

Thorin hurried to the wall as he pulled the chain with the key from his neck.

"Hurry up, you slow and old toad!"

Thorin put the key in the hole, it fitted and he turned it.

*Snap*

The dwarves pushed again the door with all their might and it opened as the keyhole disappeared again and the sun went down.

**Chose to use a little of my own imagination :3 Hope you enjoyed. More will be up soon! Review, rate, follow, favorite and everything else I haven't named ;3**

**XxX**


	51. Research in Riddles

**I know I don't usually do note but I really wanted to this time :3  
Anyways, I decided to put the dragon scene from the book in the story because I really like it and I couldn't resist. So here it is! **

The company stood in front of the door for a while after the sun had gone down.

"Alright master Baggins." Thorin said breaking the silence. "Time to earn you reward."

"Wha-What?" Bilbo stuttered. "If you think that it is my job to go into the dark passage first then you are wrong." He said a bit cross. "I have already gotten you out of two messes, this is going to far. So I think that I already deserve a part from my reward already! But 'third time pays for all' as my father used to say. I will go in but not alone."

No one said a word. They shifted uncomfortably on their feet and did not look up.

"I'll go." Ella finally said and took a step closer to the Hobbit.

"Ella no!" Fili protested and grabbed her arm. "You can't go in there. He'll recognize your scent. It's too dangerous."

"You said so yourself, Fili." She said. "You told me in Mirkwood that I wasn't a dwarf-"

"I was angry. I didn't mean any of it!"

"But you were right." Ella continued. "I'm not a dwarf, I'm an earthling. The only thing I have in common with a dwarf is my height."

"She's right." The dwarves agreed.

"Yeah." Kili said. "I mean, look at her. Her waist is too small, Her ears are too tiny-"

"Thank you, Kili." Ella said raising her hand to silence him.

"As are her hands, she isn't strong enough-"

"Kili…"

"She doesn't even have a beard and-"

"KILI!" Ella shouted. "You made your point!"

"Right, sorry."

Ella looked up into Fili's worried eyes. "He won't recognize me. I ain't like you, love."

Fili took a deep breath. "Promise me that you will be careful."

"I will." Ella gave him a quick kiss. "I promise. Besides I can't just let Bilbo go after a dragon alone!"

"I will go too." Balin said. "But only halfway so that if anything goes wrong, someone will be in your reach."

"A-A-alright then." Bilbo stuttered as he actually realized that someone was coming with him. "L-Lets go then."

**XxX**

"Balin," Bilbo whispered after they had been walking in the dark for a while. "Go back to the others we can take it from here."

"Are you sure?" Balin asked.

"Yes." He answered. "Ella, take my hand. I'm going to put on the ring so don't let go of me, understood?"

"Feels good giving orders, don't it?" Ella teased and grabbed his hand.

"It's not bad." Bilbo chuckled and slipped on his ring.

"Good luck." Balin said and headed back.

"Keep an eye out for George please?" Ella said before they started walking and Balin gave her a nod.

**XxX**

"Holy shit it's hot in this tunnel." Ella said as they moved further. "Should have through about my wardrobe before I decided to come with."

Bilbo put his invisible hand on her mouth shutting her up. Ella looked forward and saw a glow coming from ahead. They kept walking and they could hear someone snoring. Ella's heartbeat started to speed up.

_Why did I choose to go?_

They stopped when they reached the end of the tunnel. Ella carefully leaned forward and froze. Right under her nose, lay the dragon Smaug. When she felt that Bilbo let go of her hand, she had to hold back a scream.

"Bilbo! Bilbo!" Ella whispered as loud as she dared. "Where the hell are you?"

When she felt a hand on her shoulder she relaxed and knew what Bilbo was going to do.

Ella sat looking at the dragon as she bit her bottom lip for a while.

_This can go so wrong. This is GONNA go terribly wrong! The dragon could wake at any moment! Bilbo what the hell are you doing?! Sweet Jesus, we are never going to here out of this alive. _

Before Ella could think anything else she felt herself being dragged away.

"Bilbo, thank God!" she whispered as they ran back up the tunnel.

**XxX**

Ella stumbled over her own two feet and rolled though the door. For a moment she just lay there out of breath, enjoying the cold wind of the evening. She could help but smile as she saw two big hairy feet standing next to her. Everyone cheered as they saw what Bilbo had brought them, a golden cup, which made them forget about Ella lying on the ground. The cup was being passed around among the dwarves and for a moment it looked as if the day couldn't get any better.

The cheers and laughter disappeared as soon as it had come. The mountain started to shake as if it was an old volcano that was about to erupt. Ella jumped to her feet when she heard a loud roar.

"Smaug." She gasped. "He woke up!"

"Quick! Quick!" Bilbo shouted. "The door! The tunnel! It's no good here or we will be fried alive!"

Everybody ran to the door except Bifor who was shouting in Khuzdul and pointing down the mountain.

"We forgot Bofur and Bombur!" Ori said panicking. "The dragon will eat them if we don't get them up!"

"There is nothing we can do for them now." Someone said.

"Nonsense!" Thorin growled. "Balin, Bilbo! In the tunnel! Ella, George, Fili, Kili you too! I will not let the dragon have us all! The rest of you help with the ropes, HURRY!"  
Everybody did as instructed but Ella pulled Ori into the tunnel as well. The roars and cries of Smaug became louder and Ella placed a hand on her heart when Bofur reached up. George ran out of the tunnel to help the others with pulling Bombur up before Ella could grab him.

"George, get back here!" Ella shouted and was about to run after him when two pair of arm held her back.

"LET ME GO!" She shouted to Fili and Kili. "George! Get your ass back inside right now!"

George reached out his small arms to help Bombur up together with Dwalin and Bifor. They also pulled some of their bags with tools and food before everybody ran to the tunnel, as the sound of the dragon grew louder. George stumbled and Thorin ran back and scooped the little boy in his arms.

"Close the door!" Thorin ordered as he ran.

Nori and Bofur pulled the door and Thorin jumped in before it closed.

"Were you born brain-dead?!" Ella shouted as Thorin handed George back to her. She held George by his arms and shook him. "There is a dragon outside breathing fire against the mountain side! You could have been grilled like a steak on Pappy's seventieth birthday if Thorin hadn't grabbed you! Are you stupid?!"

"I'm sorry Ella." He cried and tears rolled down his cheek. "I just wanted to help."

Ella fell against the side of the tunnel and held George as tight as she could.

"Don't you ever do that again." She mumbled into his hair as she rocked him back and forth while a tear rolled down her own face. "You're the only thing I got left of home."

You could hear the ponies scream on the other side of the door as the dwarves listened carefully.

"Nothing can escape Smaug when he sees it." Thorin said. "We will have to stay here."

They moved further down the tunnel where it was warmer, though they still shivered as they tried to fall asleep through the loud sounds of the dragon still-hunting them.

**XxX**

"Why did you have to do that?!" Ella woke from the angry whispering voices.

"It was a stupid thing to do!"

"You should have left the cup."

Ella rubbed the sleep from her eyes and saw the dwarves arguing with Bilbo in the darkness. Only some light came from crevice on the sides of the backdoor.

"What else do you suppose a burglar is to do?!" Bilbo whispered angry. "I am not here to kill a dragon, that is warriors work. I'm here to steal treasures!"

"What the hell are you idiots arguing about?" Ella hissed as she pushed herself up. "There is still a small boy sleeping and I'm trying to keep that way, at least for a while!"

"They are saying that I shouldn't have taken the cup!" Bilbo whispered in disbelieve. "Did you expect me to trot back with the whole hoard of Thror on my back?!" his attention went back to the dwarves. "If there is any grumbling, then I might have a say! You should have brought five hundred burglars not just one!"

The dwarves started arguing with the hobbit again.

"It would take him a hundred years to bring it all up, if he was five times as big and Smaug as tame as a rabbit!" Ella defended Bilbo. "So just say you're sorry and shut the fuck up!"

Everybody apologized, even Thorin to Ella's surprise.

"Good job." Ella said mockingly. "Now what do we do, Baggins?"

"I don't know at the moment- if you mean removing the treasure." Bilbo said. "We need to get rid of Smaug first. For now we should just stay where we are."

Everybody calmed down again and grabbed the bags for some food.

"Maybe we should check on Smaug." Ella said as she sat next to Bilbo. "Maybe he fell back asleep."

"You want to go back there?! How?"

"Just like before." She said. "You can use your ring again. It's not like we have anything else to do. We might as well check on how our beloved dragon is doing. Maybe even do some research, see if he has a weak spot or something."

"No." Bilbo said. "He might still be awake. Do you know-"

"So you think sitting here is gonna do us any good?" Ella asked with a brow raised. "The dragon isn't just going to leave."

The dwarves had been listening and agreed with Ella. Even sleepy George, who had just awoke and had no idea what they were talking about.

**XxX**

They had managed to persuade the hobbit to go and Bilbo and Ella where heading to Smaug's layer once more. Ella held her breath as Bilbo slipped on his ring and left. She moved closer and carefully watched the sleeping dragon.

"Well, thief!" Ella's heart jumped out of her chest when she noticed that the dragon wasn't really sleeping. Smaug's voice was deep and rumbled as he spoke. "I smell you and I feel your air. I hear your breath. Come along help yourself. There is plenty of gold to spare."

"No thank you, Smaug the Tremendous." Bilbo said as strong as he could. Ella scowled at hid stupidity for answering. "I do not come for presents. I only wish to have a look at you and see if you were truly as great as the tales say. I did not believe them."

_Crap. _Ella though. _Quit talking Bilbo!_

"Do you now?" Smaug asked flattered though he didn't believe Bilbo's words.

"Truly songs and tales fall utterly short of reality, O Smaug the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities." He Bilbo replied. Ella rolled her eyes at Bilbo's words.

"You have nice manners for a thief and liar." Smaug said and Ella froze.

_How could we have been so stupid that he actually would believe the words?_

"You seem familiar with my name," The dragon continued. "Though I do not remember smelling you before, neither your companion."

_Shit! Not good, not good! _

"Who are you and where do you come from, may I ask?"

"You may indeed!" Bilbo said maybe a little to happy. "I come from under the hills and under the hills and over the hills my path led. And through the air, I am he who goes unseen."

"So I can well believe but that is hardly your usual name."

"I am a clue-finder." Bilbo continued. "The web-cutter, the stinging fly. I was chosen for the lucky number."

"Lovely titles!" The dragon sneered. "But lucky numbers don't always come off."

"I am he that buries his friends alive and drowns them and draws them alive again from the water. I came from the end of a bag, but no bag went over me."

"These don't sound so creditable." Scoffed Smaug.

"I am the friend of bears and the guest of eagles." Bilbo continues. "I am Ringwinner and Luckwearer; and I am a Barrel-rider."

_Shut up, Biblo! _Ella thought. _If I can guess your riddles then the dragon can too!_

"That's better!" Said Smaug. "But don't let your imagination run away with you!"

The dragon chuckled when he thought he understood enough.

"I thought so last night." Smaug continued. "Lake-men, some nasty scheme of those miserable tub-trading Lake-men, or I'm a lizard. I haven't been down that way for an age and an age; but I will soon alter that!"

_Oh shit! _Ella thought. _Bilbo, get the hell away from that dragon!_

"Very well, o Baller-rider. Maybe Barrel was your pony's name; and maybe not. Though it was fat enough."

_What?! How the hell-_

"You may walk unseen but you did not walk all the way. Let me tell you I ate six ponies last night and I shall catch and eat all the others before long. In return for the excellent meal I will give you, and your companion, one piece of advice for your good: don't have more to do with dwarves than you can help."

Ella had to bite her lip to not curse in the air.

"Dwarves?!" Bilbo said as if he had never heard of them.

"Don't talk to me!" The dragon snapped. "I know the smell or dwarf! Don't tell me that I can' eat a dwarf-ridden pony and not know it! You'll come to bad end if you go with such friends, Thief Barrel-Rider and companion. I don't mind if you go back and tell them so from me."

Ella carefully watched the dragon. She could see a puzzled look in his eyes. He couldn't place their smells and it was the only thing that kept Ella from screaming.

"I suppose you got a fair price for that cup from last night?" he continued. "Come now, did you not? Nothing at all! Well, that is just like them. And I suppose they are skulking outside, you job is to do all the dangerous work and get what you can, when I am not looking, for them? You will get a fair share? Don't you believe it! If you get out alive you will be lucky."

"Liar." Ella whispered and Smaug's eye scattered across the wall looking for her. _Crap!_

"You don't know everything, O Smaug the Mighty." Bilbo quickly said as he saw the dragon looking for Ella. "Not only gold brought us hither."

Smaug attention went back to the still invisible hobbit. "

"Ha! Ha! You admit the 'us'." The dragon laughed. "Why not say 'us fourteen' and be done with it, Mr. Lucky Number? I am glad that you had other business in these parts besides my gold. I that case you may, perhaps, not altogether waste your time."

_Ha! _Ella laughed in her head. _Fourteen, we are sixteen you dumb creature learn to count. Guess he doesn't know about George then._

Smaug continued. "I don't know if it has occurred to you that, even if you could steal the gold in bit by bit - a matter of a hundred years of so – you could not get very far? Not much use of the mountainside? Not much use in the forest? Bless me! Had you never thought of the catch? A fourteenth share, I suppose, or something like it, those were the terms, eh? But what about delivery? What about the cartage? What about gaurds and trolls?" Smaug laughed loud and wicked.

Now that Ella though about it the dragon was right. How were they going to get the gold back to Bag End. The dwarves would find a way and if they didn't then Ella sure as hell would.

"I tell you." Bilbo said. "That gold was only an afterthought with us. We came over hill and under hill, by wave and wind, for REVENGE. Surely, O Smaug the unassessable wealthy, you must realize that you success has made you some bitter enemies?"

This time the dragon laughed so hard that it made Ella stumble to the ground and pieces of stone fell on top of her.

"Revenge!" The dragon snorted. "Revenge! The King under the Mountain is dead and where are his kin that dare seek revenge? Girion, Lord of Dale is dead, and I have eaten his people like a wolf among sheep, and where are his sons' sons that dare to approach me? I kill where I wish and none dare resist. I laid low the warriors of old and their like is not in the world today. Then I was but young and tender. Now I am old and strong, strong, strong, Thief in the Shadows." Smaug gloated. "My armor is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claw spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane and my breath death!"

_No need to be such a drama queen, Smaug. _Ella snorted. _Crazy-ass dragon!_

"I have always understood," Bilbo squeaked. "That dragons were softer underneath, especially in the region of the, em… Chest; but doubtless one so fortified has though of that."

"Your information is antiquated." Smaug snapped again. "I am armored above and below with iron scales and hard gems. No blade can pierce me!"

"I might have guessed it." Bilbo said. "Truly there can nowhere be found the equal of Lord Smaug the Impenetrable. What magnificence to posses a waist coat of fine diamonds!"

"Yes it is rare and wonderful indeed." The dragon said pleased. "Look." He rolled over. "What do you say to that?!"

"Dazzling marvelous!" Bilbo shouted. "Perfect! Flawless! Staggering!"

_Bilbo what the hell are you trying to- What is that?! There is a hole in his 'armor'. Way to go Bilbo! But now that we have done our research and found his weak spot I REALLY WANT TO GET BACK!_

Apparently Bilbo thought the same and decided that he had talked enough with the dragon.

"Well, I really must not detain Your magnificence any longer." He said. "Or keep you from your much needed rest. Ponies take some catching, I believe, after a long start. And so do burglars." Bilbo added quickly and Ella felt him sprinting up. He grabbed her arm and dragged her away.

"Bilbo you son of a bitch!" Ella shouted as she heard Smaug calling out to them with an angry roar.

**XxX**

Ella and Bilbo stumbled out of the tunnel and back into the open air. Ella landed on top of Bilbo and pulled him up by his collar.

"What the hell were you doing?!" She growled and shook him a little. "You had to insult the thing! Barrel-rider?! He is not stupid! He's gonna go after Lake Town! After all they have done for us you send a fucking dragon as a thank you gift?! If I can guess you stupid riddles then so can it! And Luckwearer?! Let me tell you one thing, Bilbo Baggins, I will try to make this as clear as possible. You have now OFFICIALLY run out of luck! Smaug is going to kill hundred of innocent people and then he is coming after us and this time he will not be so fund of you riddle talk!"

Bilbo wanted to talk but Ella was choking him.

"Ella." Thorin said as Bilbo's face started to turn blue. "ELLA! Let the hobbit go!"

Ella did as Thorin asked, she let go of Bilbo and jumped off of him.

"What happened?" The dwarves asked and Bilbo readied himself as Ella shook off her outburst.

**I would like to thank everybody for the (almost) 50.000 views and 160 reviews. I would never have thought that I would reach any of those numbers and I am very happy and thankful to everyone who had been following the story from the start :3 So an extra long chapter as a thank you gift to y'all ;3 Couldn't have made it this far without my readers ;3**

**Truly love you all!  
**

**XxX Kneeling Angel**


	52. Disappearing Under a Pile of Gold

Ella had crawled a couple of feet higher then the rest. The feeling of the outburst hadn't disappeared a hundred percent. She paced up and down shaking her hands and mumbling to herself. Bilbo was telling the dwarves everything that happened and seemed a bit frustrated.

"Drat the bird!" He threw a rock against the mountain trying to hit the thrush sitting there but nearly hit Ella instead.

"Hey! Watch what you're doing!"

The bird jumped on Ella's shoulder and snuck its self in the crook of her neck.

"You won't leave me alone will you?" she asked the bird with an eye roll.

Ella sat down on the edge of the stone listening to Bilbo as he continued his story. Little did she know that the thrush was doing exactly the same.

"There is no way to defeat that dragon." Bilbo said. "His armor is to thick."

"No it's not." Ella said from above. "Didn't you see the hole?"

"What hole?" Thorin asked.

"There was a hole in his armor. I think it was on the left side of his chest." she answered. "Didn't you see it Bilbo?"

"Yes but it's unreachable if the dragon would attack an arrow would barely fit through. Didn't you see how small that hole was?"

"Yes but if you got a good eye sight you might be able to hit it." Ella defended. "If you know the hole is there then you can shoot an arrow through. You just have to know where to look!"

"You know as well as I that that is impossible."

The dwarves started to argue about that. Anything Ella said further was ignored. The dwarves were discussing dragon-slaying historical, dubious, and mythical, and the various sorts of stabs and jabs and undercuts, and the different art devices and stratagems by which they had accomplished.

Ella had decided that it was best to shut up and just listened with the bird still on her shoulder.

**XxX**

When the stars started to turn up the thrush flew away. Ella felt a little sad about that, the bird had been lovely company in some kind of strange way. With a loud worried, sigh she watched the last part of the sun go down.

A small smile fell on her lips when she felt Fili kiss her cheek. "Bilbo said it's best if we go back into the tunnel." He said. "He thinks Smaug could come out any moment now."

Ella let herself be pulled up but her heart was heavy and the pain in her stomach over the last couple of days still hadn't faded. A terrible feeling of guilt ran through her veins and Ella couldn't help but to worry a little extra for the people of Lake Town.

"Smaug is going after Lake Town." Ella said as she pulled Fili to a halt in front of the tunnel. "We need to go back and help them. If anything happens then it's all our fault. I can't just turn my back on them after what they did for us. I want to go back, I need to go back and help them!" She tried her best to bite back her tears.

Fili placed his arms around Ella as he could see that she was about to have another break down.

"It's not your fault." He whispered in her ear. "The dragon tricked you. There was nothing you could do about it."

"But all those people are all going to be in danger, they are all going to die because of our stupidity!"

Fili just held her tight as Ella shed tears of guilt into his chest.

"It's alright." He said and kissed her head. "Let's get into the tunnel."

As they entered Ella sent Bilbo an angry look. _This is all his fault! _She thought. _Every single drop of blood is going to be on our hands! The dragon is all his fault! The stupid quest is all Thorin's fault! Everything is his fault! No wait! It's all Gandalf's fault, no; it's all the fault of the elves! If they had help the stupid dwarves hundred years ago then we wouldn't have been here from the start! _

Ella picked up her pace and Fili noticed that she wanted some time alone.

_Curse this entire quest! _Ella thought as she stomped away and past the other dwarves. She slammed her fist against the wall and dropped to the ground with a loud groan before slowly falling asleep.

**XxX**

Ella's eyes shot open when the rocks started to boom and the walls started to crack. Rocks fell on top of everyone's head and Ella's heart started to race as she heard Smaug roar and smash against the mountain wall. She felt a couple of strong arms lifting her up and found Dwalin dragging her and George further down the tunnel with the rest of the company behind them.

"Barrel-rider!" Ella heard Smaug shout from outside. "Your feet came from the waterside and up the water you came without a doubt! I do not know your smell, but if you are not one of those men of the Lake, you have had their help! They shall see me and remember who is the real King under the Mountain!"

The dragon slammed his tale against the mountain and flew away.

The company had fallen asleep further down the tunnel. When Ella woke up she noticed that there wasn't any light not even through the crevices from the backdoor because there wasn't a door anymore. They had closed the door to tight and the keyhole had disappeared.

"Ella what's wrong?" Bilbo whispered as he could hear her cry quietly.

"What's wrong?" Ella asked. You could hear the tears in her voice. "What's wrong?! The damn dragon is on its way to Lake Town and you dare to ask me what's wrong!? Damn it, Bilbo! This is all your fault!"

Her shouting woke the others.

"Ella stop!." Thorin demanded. "The hobbit already guilty enough!"

"Good!" Ella shouted. "You know what?! I hope the dragon does come back! Otherwise I will be the one who will have his head!"

"Ella…" Bilbo said soft but she stomped away.

"Where do you think you are going?!" Thorin growled.

"What does it look like?!" Ella shouted as she walked away. "You wanted to enter the mountain so I am going to enter the stupid mountain!"

"But what if the dragon is back?" Bilbo asked. "You could-"

"I don't give a damn!" She shouted over her shoulder from a distance. "Are you guys coming or not?!"

The dwarves and hobbit quickly walked after her. They wouldn't admit it but they were more frightened of an angry earthling then a dragon that had a chance of not even being home.

**XxX**

Ella stopped at the end of the tunnel and stuck her head out. There was no sign of the dragon. Bilbo hadn't noticed that Ella had stopped and ran into her back. Together they stumbled and rolled down into the hall. Ella rolled into a pile of gold making her disappear and Bilbo was glad that he had put on his ring when they left. They were both invisible.

"Stop playing with us, Smaug, you worm!" Bilbo squeaked after they didn't move for a while. "Now is not the time for hide and seek! Give me a light and then eat me if you can catch me!"

"I think he ain't here." Ella said as she crawled out from under the gold and spit out a golden coin. "But maybe we should have a look around, you know, just to be sure."

"If Oin and Gloin hadn't lost there tinderboxes then we could have made a fire, but you were right." Bilbo said and slipped of his ring. "I have run out of luck."

"Don't be foolish." Ella said apologetic. "I didn't mean it. I'm just a little scared, that's all. You know how I get when I'm scared. Forgive me?"

"Of course." Bilbo said with a small smile. "You remind me of my mother Belladonna Took. You are not the only one I know with mood swings. I can handle them."

Ella laughed a little.

"Guys do you have any light?!" Ella shouted up to the dwarves, still in the tunnel.

"Light!" Bilbo shouted when they didn't answer and stomped his feet.

Gloin had grabbed two torches but didn't move out of the tunnel. With and eye roll Bilbo walked back to grab them.

**XxX**

"…_and investigator_." Bilbo mumbled when he came walking back. "_Want to risk a light then it's your affair._"

Ella had to hold back a giggle as he tried to do an impression of Thorin. "Guess they aren't coming then?" she asked.

"No." Bilbo said and handed her a torch. "They will be waiting for our report."

"Course they will. How I should have known." Ella rolled her eyes. "Should we go then?"

Ella walked into front of Bilbo and to his right. She hadn't noticed Bilbo picking something up.

"I'll go this way." Ella said and pointed to an opening in the room. "I'll scream if there is anything."

"Alright." Bilbo agreed. "Just be careful."

Ella reached the great doors and she could feel the air on her face but it almost blew out her light. Carefully she opened the doors a little and peeked through the opening. She caught a glimpse of the great halls. Ella was breathless and wanted to go in but decided against it. There wasn't any sight of Smaug and she turned around and back through the opening she had come through.

She screamed when a black something flew across her face and touched her nose and cheeks. Ella jumped back and fell down before dropping her torch causing the flame to go out.

"Fucking hell!" she squeaked and placed a hand on her heart. "Just a darn bat! Hopefully."

Ella took a deep breath and tried to steady her heartbeat. When she rose to her feet she had no idea which way to go.

"Guys!" She shouted. "GUYS! The light has gone out! Help!"

Bilbo had heard her and raced to her.

"Ella, are you alright?" He asked. "Was it the dragon?"

"No. Thank goodness no, I would have screamed a lot louder if it was." Ella said as she saw Bilbo's worried look. "It was probably just a bat or something."

Ella and Bilbo flinched when they heard something coming but they calmed down when they saw the dwarves coming their way.

"What is going on?" Thorin asked.

"Nothing." They said together and exhaled a breath that they had been holding.

"Just a bat." Ella added. "The scream was just a reflex. Sorry."

It was first now that the dwarves noticed that they were standing in the treasure and Ella had to hold back a giggle she saw the look in Fili and Kili's eyes.

"Go off then." Thorin said to them and before Ella knew it George and her were being dragged away to explore the treasures.

**XxX**

"Fili look!" Kili shouted and pointed to some golden harps. Ella and George were rolling around in laughter as they started to play.

"What?!" The brothers asked together.

"Guys and harps!" Ella laughed. "A sight I will never get used to!"

"You guys look like fairies with beards." George laughed. "Well, not you Kili!"

The brothers dropped there instruments and chased after the siblings. Kili caught George and gave him a tickle attack. Fili on the other hand had more trouble catching Ella.

Giggling she ran as he chased her. Ella ran over a large pile of gold but couldn't see Fili anymore. Torches were lid across the walls and you could see every last thing of the treasure. It was huge! The gold was shining and the colors reflected on the walls and ceiling.

Ella was snapped out of her thoughts when she tumbled backwards down the pile. It wasn't much of a surprise when Fili landed on top of her.

"I love you." He mumbled between their kisses.

"Love you too." Ella said and broke their kiss. "We did it. We made it in the mountain. In one piece!"

"And you're still here." Fili said with a huge smile on his face. "Looks like you're staying ."

"It seems so." Ella smiled. "Can't believe that I have been so worry about everything."

Fili chuckled and leaned down to kiss her again.

"Will you marry me then?" he whispered in their kiss.

"What?" Ella asked with eyes wide as she pulled back again.

"Marry me." Fili repeated.

Ella's mouth stood open in shock. This was one thing she hadn't seen coming. Fili sat up and pulled a small white golden ring out of his pocket. Ella was still in shock but managed to push herself up.

"Ella," Fili said looking deep in her eyes. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Y-you want t-to marry me?" Ella questioned still not believing the words he had actually said. "M-me?"

She didn't give him time to answer her and crashed into him swinging her arms around his neck as she kissed him fiercely, making them slam and disappear under the pile gold behind them.

"Should I take that as a yes or a no?"

"Shut up and kiss me!"

**Let me know what you think… Didn't really like the beginning and wrote like three different ones but I like this one best. Not the best I could do but nothing popped up in my head!**

**If you have any suggestions on what should happen next then I would love to hear them :3**

**XxX KneelingAngel**


	53. So Many Stairs

"Ella! Fili!" Thorin shouted. "Let's go!"

Ella and Fili climbed out from under the pile of gold. Golden coins had managed to get into their clothes and Ella had to pull a couple out of her corset. Fili grabbed her hand and guided her to the others as she removed the coins.

"Looking good Bilbo." Fili said to the burglar. "Could hardly recognize you without you old jacket."

"Oh my God!" Ella said excited. "Mithril! I never thought that I would see it with my own eyes! This is awesome! Can I touch it?! It's even prettier then in the movies! So this is how you got it! You look so-"

"Lass, be quiet for the love of Mahal." Bofur whined which caused George to giggle. "You will make our ears bleed before we even reach the second pair of stairs.

"Stairs? What are you…" Ella mouth dropped as she looked up the many stairs in front of her. "OH HELL NO! You want me to walk up there?! All the way?! You have got to be joking me."

"Nope." Bofur said. "Ladies first."

"Screw you." Ella said and started climbing but it didn't take long for the other to pass her.

Up and up they went and it felt like there wasn't coming an end to the stairs. George had given up after four pair of stairs and Bilbo wasn't far behind. The steps were not made for people with short legs like them.

**XxX**

"Hallelujah!" Ella panted as they stopped climbing. "I though that it would never end!"

"This is the great chamber of Thror." Thorin said. "The hall of feasting and council. We are not far from the Front Gate now."

As they entered, Ella's heart dropped. The room was burned, tables were rotten, benches and tabled were turned upside down and broken. Skulls and bones were on the floor together with bowls, mugs and dust.

Thorin walked through and down another hall.

_How is it possible that he can find his way though this maze? _

A grey light started to get brighter and the sound of water filled their ears. When Ella could see the river she was all but eager to jump in but was held back by Fili who gave her an amused look.

"Lets follow it." Thorin ordered and they were walking again.

It didn't take long for them to find the Front Gate. Everybody dropped their torches as the morning sun shined on their faces.

"Well," Bilbo said breaking the silence. "I never expected to look out of this door. I have never been so please to see the sun again and to feel the wind on my face again. But, ow! The wind is freezing!"

"No shit Sherlock." Ella mumbled but was quickly shut up by a kick from George.

The dwarves didn't care and just stood there until Ella could see George shiver.

"Maybe we should have some breakfast." She said as she picked George up. "We haven't had anything in a while."

"I would love too." Bilbo said. "But not at the Front Gate. I don't think that Smaug's front doorstep is the safest place for a meal. Maybe we should find somewhere else where we can sit quiet for a bit."

"Quite right." Balin said. "And I think I know which way we should go: we ought to make a look-out post at the South-West corner or the Mountain."

"How far is that?" Ella asked, she was getting really hungry.

"Five hours march, I should think." George and Ella let out an annoyed groan but Balin continued. "It will be rough going. The road from the Gate along the left edge of the stream seems all broke up. But if you look down there the river loops suddenly east across Dale in front of the ruined town. At that point there was once a bridge, leading to steep stairs that climbed up towards Ravenhill. There was a path that left the road and climbed up the post. A hard climb though, still will be even with those old steps."

"You have got to be fucking joking me?" Ella complained.

"Oh dear." Bilbo said. "I don't know if we will survive more climbing without breakfast!"

"I am not climbing anymore stairs!" She said. "I am starving and when was even the last time we ate?! And how may stairs can somebody put in a worthless piece stone like this mountain?!"

"Do not call my palace a worthless piece of stone." Thorin said a bit strict but when he rattled with the gems in his pocket his look seemed to soften. "Wait until it has been repaired and redecorated."

"But that wont be until Smaug is dead." Bilbo said. "I the meanwhile where is he? I would give a good breakfast to know. I hope he is not up on the mountain looking down on us."

"Way to calm my nerves Bilbo." Ella said a bit worried but sarcastic. "Keep going like this and I might die of a heart attack!"

"We should move away from here." Dori said. "I feel as if the dragon's eyes are on the back of my head."

"Not helping either Dori."

"Calm down lass." Balin said. "Let's just follow the path, alright?"

**XxX**

Ella and George dropped to the floor when Thorin said that they could have a rest. They had found water and they still had something called _cram_ in their backpacks. If there was one thing the siblings didn't like to eat then it would be cram. The bread was more like a chewing exercise for them then breakfasts. But better something then nothing.

After they had eaten they left again with much whining coming from George.

It was at the end of the afternoon that they finally reached where they should be.

"Here in the old days we used to keep the watchmen," Balin said. "And that door behind leads into a rock-hewn chamber that was made here as a guardroom. We have several places like this around the mountain but they never seemed of any use in the time of our prosperity. The guards might have grown to comfortable, if it wasn't so we maybe would have had a change to spot the dragon before it attacked. But we can still shelter and hide here for a while and we can see much without being seen."

"Not much use if we have been seen coming here." Dori said as he kept looking up to the top of the mountain as if Smaug could turn up any moment.

"We must take our chances of that." Thorin said. "We will go no further today."

"Oh thank the Lord!" Ella said dramatic and fell to the floor. "I can't feel my legs anymore!"

They placed their bags in the small room before going to sleep or discussing their plan. Ella on the other hand was too tired to sleep and she was hungry. How she would have died for a bag of M&M's or pop tarts or a box with cupcakes. Something told Ella that she needed to eat and she grabbed a piece of cram since they didn't have anything else.

"I thought you didn't like it." Bofur said as he saw Ella take another bite and sat next to her. "Are you alright?"

"Hmm… Just feel the urge to eat something, you know." Ella said with her mouthful. "I can't feel my body, everything hurts and it only goes away when I eat. You know what I would die for right now?"

"What?" He asked with a grin.

"Peanut butter jelly sandwich with a mug of chocolate milk and Jellybeans on the side!"

"You're acting all dramatic again." He smiled to Ella. "Maybe you should get some sleep."

"But I'm too tired." She whined.

"You sound like George." Bofur said. "Now off to bed."

"But what about my food?"

"Bed."

"Alright, alright." Ella said waving her hands in the air and got up. "You don't have to tell me twice." She picked George up and left for bed.

**XxX**

Ella awoke to a sound of a bird singing. She rubbed her head and sat up. It didn't take too long for the bird to fly over to her and started to pull her hair

"Ow!" Ella shouted as the thrush dragged her to the dwarves and hobbit. "Let me go, you stupid bird!"

Balin was telling something about Ravenhill and about a raven called Carc and his wife when Ella came to a halt. She didn't have much time to listen to him as she tried to untangle the bird from her hair. Once it was loose it flew away. Ella walked to her bag and grabbed out a comb to fix her hair again.

"O Thorin, son of Thrain and Balin son of Fundin." A voice croaked. "I am Roäc son of Carc." Ella walked back, tying her hair in a ponytail but she froze when she noticed that a raven was talking. In English!

"Carc is dead but he was well known to you once. It is been a hundred and fifty three years since I came out of an egg, but I do not forget what my father told me. Now I am chief of the great ravens of the mountain. We may be few but we still remember the king that was old. Most of my people are abroad, for there are great tidings in the South- some ate tidings of joy to you and some you will not think so good."

Ella's mouth dropped to the floor. She didn't understand what the bird was say but she understood his language. She looked to George who share the same expression and back to the bird.

"Behold! The birds are gathering back again to the Mountain and Dale from South, east and West, for word has gone out that Smaug is dead!"

_Dead? _Ella gasped as the dwarves cheered. "Dead?! Are you sure?" She asked Roäc.

The thrush flew to her shoulder and bit her in the ear as if punishing her for her stupid question.

"Yes, My Lady." Roäc answered. "The thrush saw him die. He saw the dragon fall in battle with the men of Esgaroth nights back."

Ella looked at the thrush on her shoulder with eyes wide.

"For so much joy, Thorin Oakenshield." The raven continued. "You may go back to your halls in safety; all the treasure is yours- for the moment."

The dwarves and hobbit stood still.

"What do you mean?" George asked panicking a little and pulled Ella closer.

"The news of Smaug's death has already gone far and wide. Many still remember the treasure of Thror and want part of the spoil. Already a host of elves are on the way, and carrion birds are with them hoping for battle and slaughter."

Ella's heart stopped, the pictures of the battlefield started to return in her head. There was still a chance for her to disappear. She looked at her ring.

"No one will touch the gold while we are alive!" Thorin shouted angry. "The gold is ours!"

"Thanks for the warning, Roäc." Ella said and moved closer to pull Thorin back. He looked like he could break the bird's neck. "You will not be forgotten for what you did."

"But if you could bring the news of anything that draws near?" Fili picked up where Ella left off. There was something in Fili's voice that Ella hadn't heard before and it sent a shiver through her spine. She didn't know rather it was a good thing or a bad thing. Fili took a step closer as Ella tried to calm down the king. "If any of you are still young and strong of wing we would ask you to send messengers to our kin in the mountains of the North. Both west and east from here and tell them our plight."

"Especially go to our uncle's cousin Dain in the Iron Hills." Kili added with the same sound in his voice. "He has many people well and dwells near this place. Bid them haste!"

"I do not know if this council is good or bad." Roäc said. "But I will do what can be done."

"Back to the mountain!" Thorin shouted. "We have little time to lose."

"Back to the mountain!" The others cried and left. Fili and Kili bowed before leaving as well.

"My Lady." Roäc said, as Ella was about to leave too. "If you listen to my council then you will not trust the Master of Lake Town but the man who shot the dragon. He is grim but true. Bard is his name."

"The name sounds familiar." Ella said. "I think my little brother mentioned him a couple of times."

"We would see peace once more between dwarves, elves and men after the desolation but it might cost you your dear gold. The people of Lake Town also blame the number of the dead on your company. They too think to find amends from you treasure, whether you are alive or not."

"Thank you for the heads up, Roäc." Ella gave him a small but worried smile. "I'll try to see if I can get Thorin to agree to share a part of the gold."

"They are lucky to have you, Lady Earthling."

She gave the raven a nod before it flew away with the thrush.

Ella pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a long sigh as she walked out of the room. "Thorin is going to kill me for even trying to talk to him about the damn treasure." She mumbled to herself as she walked down the first pair of stairs.


	54. Betrayed

"NO!"

"YES!"

"I will NOT share the treasure! The treasure belongs to us and us alone!"

"There is nothing wrong with sharing! Don't be such a-"

Thorin stomped back into the treasure hall.

"Thorin get back here!" Ella shouted and walked after the king. "I'm not done with you!"

"No, but I am!" Thorin growled as he turned to face Ella again. "I will not say this again. I am NOT going to share MY treasure with any ELF or MAN!"

"They killed the fucking dragon!" She said adding a little drama to her voice. "Smaug destroy Lake Town. They don't have anything! How are they supposed to rebuild their home if we don't help them?!"

"They would have to seek for help from somebody else! They did not want to help us and I will not help them!"

"What are you five?!" Ella shouted. "There is something called a good heart but I see that you don't have one!"

"SILENCE!" Thorin shouted.

"NO!" Ella barked. "Why can't you just reason with them?! They only asked for one twelfth of the gold! I had hoped that you would treat your families gold a little different but I guess I was wrong! You are no different from your grandfather!"

"Are you calling me ill?!"

"The hell I am!" Ella shouted. "Look at you! You got everybody searching for that stupid Arkenstone of yours, including George! A small child who should be playing around instead of looking for that stupid piece of rock! You had build a fucking wall to keep everyone out of the mountain! You are just as sick as that stupid dragon Smaug!"

"I dare you to say that again." Thorin threatened.

"You are just as sick as Smaug!"

Thorin grabbed Ella by the front of her dress and pulled her closer, she didn't flinch.

"I think you just proved my theory." Ella said in a low voice. She pushed his hand away and turned on her heals heading away from the dwarves who had been listening carefully.

Ella walked up the different stairs and out to a balcony. She took a deep breath of fresh air and leaned on the edge. In the distance she could see then men on Lake Town and a camp of elves. She sighed when she saw Bard and Thranduil riding their way again. They had tried to get their hands on the treasure for a couple of days but Thorin kept saying no and it frustrated her. They deserved a part of the treasure; at least enough for the men of Lake Town to rebuild their home, Ella wasn't sure why they should share with the elves though. Thranduil had them locked up for two weeks after all. She could hear Thorin mumble something and Bard and the elven king left again.

They had spent days in the mountain but no matter what Ella seemed to do Thorin wouldn't change his mind, there was no way that he would give away any part of the treasure. Ella tried to bite back tears of frustration but it didn't seem to work and tears streamed down her face.

"God damn it!" Ella cried and slowly lowered herself to the stone cold floor. "Every damn time! Why does he have to be so stubborn?! It's only one twelfth! They can have my share for all I care! Why on earth am I crying?! Thorin ain't worth a single tear!"

"Lady Earthling!"

Ella looked up to the sky and saw Roäc flying her way.

"Oh, hello." Ella said and wiped away her tears before standing up again. "Some good news to share with us I hope?"

"Both yes and no, My Lady." Roäc said. "This is something you all need to hear."

**XxX**

"Dain is two days away from the Mountain and has five hundred dwarves with him." Roäc said to the dwarves. "But they cannot reach the mountain unmarked and I fear there be battle in the valley."

Ella send Fili a scared and worried look but he didn't look back at her. Fili's mind had started to race at the word 'battle' and Ella turned her focus back to the bird.

"I do not call this counsel good." Roäc said. "Though they are grim folk, they are not likely to overcome the host that besets you; and even if they did so, what will you gain? Winter and snow is hasting behind them. How shall you be fed without the friendship and goodwill of the lands about you? The treasure is more likely to be your death though the dragon is no more."

Thorin didn't move. "Winter and snow will bite both elves and men," he said. "They won't be able to do much with Dain and the winter so close to them."

"But neither will we." Ella said. "We barely have any food left and if I eat one more piece of cram then I'm gonna puke. Just listen to him and talk to Bard and Thranduil. They could help us."

"No!" Thorin growled and walked away.

Ella rolled her eyes and looked at the raven. "See what I have to deal with?! I have tried for days but he doesn't change his mind."

"Then I fear the worst." Roäc said and flew away.

**XxX**

Ella was back on the balcony pacing up and down, hands in her hair and sighing loudly. The fact that the dwarves of the Iron Hills were so close, and the fact that the elves and men were in the way, troubled her. And a chance of battle?! She didn't even want to think about that. Ella had a feeling that this was going to end very badly.

Suddenly the pictures of the two different mirrors flashed in front of her eyes. She leaned against the rails of the balcony, not in the mood to fall to the ground. Ella rubbed her temples and pinched the bridge of her nose. She placed her head in her hands and suddenly felt really sleepy; it had been another frustrating day after all.

"Don't." Ella mumbled as she could hear Fili's footsteps walking towards her.

"You need to get some sleep." He chuckled softly. "You look really tired."

"I am." She sighed and forced herself to look up. Just the sight of him made tears rise in her eyes. She hung her head and bit her lip forcing them to go away but just like before they started to run down her cheeks.

Fili didn't say anything and just held her close. She had been very emotional these last couple of days, not just towards Thorin but also towards every single member of the company and he didn't know why. The chances of a battle worried him, there might still be a chance for him to loose her.

"Come on." Ella said taking a deep breath and walking away. "Let's get some sleep while we still can."

"Or we can just stay here." Fili smirked. "I love seeing you in the moonlight."

It didn't take long for Fili and Ella to fall asleep together. Fili had Ella pressed tightly against his chest with their finger entwined.

**XxX**

Ella and Fili awoke from their sleep by a shouting voice. They shot up, gave each other a look and raced down the stairs. Ella's heart skipped a beat and froze when she saw Thorin holding Bilbo in the air by his collar.

"YOU MISSERABLE HOBBIT!" Thorin shouted and shook the poor hobbit. "YOU UNDERSEIZED BURGULAR! I wish Gandalf was here! Damn the wizard for ever letting me take you with! As for you I should throw you to the rocks!"

"Stay! Your wish is granted!" The familiar voice of Gandalf shouted on the other side of the wall they had built. "I am here. If you don't like my hobbit then please don't hurt him. Put him down and listen to what he had to say."

"YOU CURSED HALFLING!"

"Thorin stop it!" Ella shouted. "Put him down! What did he do?!"

"He stole the Arkenstone and gave it to the men!" Thorin shouted. "I should kill him with my bare hands for what he did!"

"Thorin please!" Ella said. "You don't want to do that! I'm sure that Bilbo has a perfectly good reason for what he did? Just put him down!"

"Start talking!" Thorin growled and put the hobbit down but still held Bilbo by his collar.

Bilbo took a deep breath the gather his courage to speak. "Did you not tell me that I could take my own fourteenth share of the treasure? Perhaps I took it a little to literally. I was told that dwarves are sometimes politer in words then in deeds. I had been at your service but is this all the service what I get from you and your family, Thorin? Take it that I have disposed of my share as I wished, and let it go at that!"

"I will!" Thorin growled. "I will send you away with you life and I do never want to see you again." He turned over the wall and spoke to those behind.

"How could you, Bilbo?" Ella asked in almost a whisper. "Why would you do this?"

"You have been the one talking about sharing the treasure." Bilbo said and turned to face her. "I did what I felt to be right."

"But you couldn't have taken anything else? You know how much the Arkenstone means to him!"

"Get down to your friends!" Thorin said with hate in his words before Bilbo could say more to Ella. "Get down or I will throw you down!"

"What about my share of the treasure?"

"It will follow after." Thorin said. "As can be arranged. Now get down!"

"No, Bilbo wait!" Ella shouted, as he was about to climb down. She ran to him and gave him one last hug. "Please don't forget us. I understand why you did what you did. I'm so sorry."

George did the exact same and gave Bilbo one last hug with tears in his eyes.

Thorin pulled the siblings back and pushed the hobbit away. Bilbo gave everybody one last look but they all seemed mad or disappointed at him and he climbed down.

"Be off!" Thorin shouted down. "You wear the mail upon you which was made by my people, you are not worthy enough to wear it. It cannot be pierced by arrows; but if you do not hurry I will sting your miserable feet!"

Bard called something about returning tomorrow but Ella couldn't hear over her anger.

When Thorin turned around Ella slapped him in the face.

"You don't deserve to be king." She said and spat on the floor.

Thorin grabbed her arm, as she was about to stomp away. "You are lucky that I am letting you stay here." He growled and tightened his grip. "If you are not careful I might still change my mind!"

"Good!" Ella said. "Because right now I would rather be with Bilbo then you fucking idiots! He save your asses so many times that I lost count and this is how you repay him?! None of you are worthy of his friendship!"

"He betrayed us!"

"No!" Ella barked. "He only tried to help! I'm glad that Bilbo gave away the Arkenstone because as far as I can tell you don't deserve it! You don't deserve any part of the treasure because it's all thanks to Bilbo that we are here!"

"SILENCE!" Thorin shouted. "You do not speak to me in that way!"

"Why not?! Without the Arkenstone your nothing but a loser like the rest of us, right?!

Thorin had heard enough and dragged Ella to the nearest chamber. He opened the door and threw her in.

"Elly!" George shouted but was held back by Dwalin and was ignored.

"You will stay here until you learn how to speak to a king!" Thorin slammed the door and locked it.

**Probably one more chapter and this fanfiction will be completed QnQ I am so close to crying but I hope that you like this chapter and I hope you will love the ending as well… Sorry for the crappy ending and the angry Thorin but everything will come together in the end.**

**XxX KneelingAngel**


	55. A Final Goodbye

Ella awoke in a dark room. She just lay on the floor and looked at the door. She could feel the movement but no sound. She didn't know what time it was or how long she had been there and she didn't care. The image of Thorin shaking Bilbo hadn't left her mind and every time she saw those furious eyes in front of her she tried to set her nails in the stone floor beneath her. _Dragon sickness. _It was the only word that had been stuck in her head since Thorin had thrown her in the room. How she wished she could put her nails into something.

Thorin's face for example.

Ella was torn from her hating imagination when Fili crashed through the door. She pushed herself up but was unable to move from her sitting position when Fili crashed into her with a hug.

Fili held Ella as if it would be the last thing he would ever do. His hands moved across her back, trying to touch every last spot, and took deep breaths catching her scent one last time. It was only when he pulled back a little that Ella could see that he was wearing full armor. Her heart started racing with fear and concern when he kissed her. The kiss felt different from the other kisses. It felt desperate, if felt heartbreaking, it felt like love, like a goodbye.  
A sound of shouts and weapons clanging; finally reached Ella's ears and she finally realize what Fili was going to do. Ella grabbed Fili by his hair and held on tightly as tears started to roll down her face.

There was nothing to be said because everything was being said in the kiss. The apologies, the promises, the hate, the love. Fili was going to leave her and Ella knew it. Her heart broke in thousands of pieces, he was going to die and Fili knew it too. He pulled back and looked at her face one last time. He touched her face and wiped away her tears as his own started to fall. He kissed her one last time and left, locking the door behind him.

Ella ran up to the door. She slammed her fist against it and kicked it as hard as she could, begging him to open the door again, begging him not to do this, begging him to stay. But when a loud battle cry was heard Ella collapsed, crying and crying, tears falling to the floor. She didn't know for how long.

The only thing she knew is that she wasn't going to see her dwarves again, she wasn't going to see Fili again. She wasn't going to kiss him anymore she wasn't going to hold him anymore; she wasn't going to hear his voice again. She wasn't going to hear Bofur's accent, she wasn't going to hear Bombur's chuckles or Bifor's grunts. She wasn't going to hear Dori scold anymore; she wasn't going to see Ori's adorable smile or Nori trying to steal something from her. She wasn't going to feel Gloin's rough pats on her back or Oin taking her temperature. She wasn't going to hear Balin's stories anymore, she wasn't going to feel Dwalin's lung crushing hugs. She was never going to see Kili's stupid smirk anymore or hear Thorin shouting at her because he had no one else to shout at. But the worst of all, she wasn't going to be able to look into Fili's eyes. Those beautiful eyes she had fallen in love with were leaving.

A soft crackling sound could be heard and the door slowly opened. George stood in the opening and had been crying just like Ella. George crashed into his sister and just sobbed.

"They are going to die, aren't they?" George whispered between breaths. Ella couldn't answer her voice had left her.

"We're all alone again."

_No! _Ella thought to herself and gathered all her strength and courage. No,_ no one is dying on my watch!_

She pushed George away from her and ran out of the door.

"Ella no!" George cried and stood up to run after her. "What are you doing?!"

Ella looked at the pile of weapons and armor. She placed a sword across her waist, she replaced her knifes with new ones and put two axes on her back before grabbing a bow and arrows.

"Here." Ella said and handed George the bows and arrows. "I need you to shoot what ever tries to get into the mountain."

"What? No Elly, please don't leave me!" George cried.

"Please baby boy." Ella said, voice breaking. "Don't make this any harder then it is. I am not going to watch them die. I will not-! We were send her to help them and that is exactly what we are going to do!"

"I can't Ella." George said looking at the bow in his hands. "I'm to small, I can't help. I'm not good enough. I can't do it!"

"Yes you can!" Ella said dragging George up to the balcony. "I have seen you shoot, I have seen you practice! We CAN help them George! We just need to find the strength and that is exactly what I am going to do! But I need you to stay here and I need your help."

"But what can I do? I'm to small."

"Exactly!" Ella said. "You are small enough to hide anywhere you want. No one will see you and you can shoot between the cracks in the balcony. They won't. See. You."

"But where are you going?"

"To the forest." Ella said as she could feel hope returning. "I'm going to get some help from some good 'friends'. I'm an earthling after all!"

**XxX **

Ella ran to the closest forest away from the battle. She ran across the fields and between the trees. She didn't care if a twig hit her in the face; she had no time to worry about small cuts.

"Where are you, you son of a bitch?!" Ella shouted as she reached the darkest corner. "Come out and face me! I know you're here! You wanted me to make a choice then I will give you my choice!"

**XxX**

George shot the best he could. The balcony wall was tall enough for him to hide behind and it was easy to shoot through the cracks. He shot at every orc and goblin he could see, careful not to hit any dwarves, men or elves. George took a deep breath lifting his small chest. He tried to remember everything Kili had taught him. He looked for Kili but couldn't see him anywhere. He looked for the others and could basically jump in joy when he spotted Dwalin. George crawled up on the ledge and shot an arrow right past Dwalin's face through the head of an orc. Dwalin looked up and George lifted his bow in the air signing that he had his back before shooting the goblins again.

George froze when he saw something white move. He squinted his eyes and saw that it was Azog on his white warg. George tried to see where Azog was charging for and froze. He was heading right for Thorin. George pulled out an arrow and slowly placed it in his bow. He took a deep breath and aimed at the warg. Thorin would be able to handle Azog without his warg. He had done it before and he could surely do it again.

George followed the warg with his arrow, ignoring the arrows that flew past him, and he let go of the string. The arrow shot through the wargs eye and it dropped dead immediately. George cheered a little too loud and a little too soon as an arrow was shot at him. The arrow of the goblin missed George's head by half an inch but the feather on the end cuts through his cheek. He quickly jumped down and ran inside with his hand on his face. Once he's inside he removes he hand and saw the blood. He wanted to scream but someone already did that for him. George looked up to the sky and saw the giant eagles throwing down giant pieces of rocks, crushing everybody who ends beneath them. George walked to the ledge again and tried to find Thorin and the others but he saw absolutely no one.

**XxX**

Suddenly the earth begins to shake and Ella came running out of the forest making the earth crack beneath her feet. She ran as fast as she could to the battle. With a cry she cut down the first couple of orcs and goblins.

"Lady Ella!"

Ella turned around and saw Legolas standing not far from her. She sprinted towards him and caught her breath for a moment as he fought.

"Legolas!" Ella said after catching her breath. "Have you seen any of the Durin's?!"

"They are further down the middle." Legolas said as he shot another goblin. He whistled and a horse came running. "Take Ballohir! You will travel a lot faster when you ride."

Ella jumped on the horse and kicked it into a run.

They jumped over the dead bodies as Ella cut down anything that was in her reach. Once they were further down the middle her eyes looked for the king and his heirs. She was so focused on the search that she didn't see a goblin aiming for her. The creature shot the horse and Ballohir fell to the ground. Ella was trapped beneath its heavy weight and couldn't move.

She screamed and a root shot up from the ground, tightening around the goblins body. Ella could hear its bones crack before it died. She tried to wiggle out under the dead weight and with a lot of energy she finally managed to wiggle herself out.

When she looked up she froze for a second. Five yards in front of her lay Fili, he had six arrows shot into his chest and Ella rushed to him.

"Fili!" She cried. "FILI!"

She dropped to her knees next to him and looked at him. He was still alive but barely. His face was pale and he lay completely still. Ella's tears streamed down like a waterfall across her cheeks and she grabbed his hand.

"Fili. Fili! Look at me!" She cried as his eyes started to close. "Look at me, baby. Please, just- You're gonna be fine, ya hear me?! Just keep you eyes open! Look at me!"

Her voice began to shiver and her throat thickened which made it harder to speak.

"Fili, please look at me." She begged. Ella looked into his eyes and saw that he was struggling to keep them open. "I can't loose you! I just can't-! We will get you better… Please-I need you with me… You can't make me do this alone. I won't do it alone! Fili, keep looking at me! Please… It's all your fault so don't you dare leave me alone! I can't do this alone."

Tears were dripping from her nose and chin as she carefully placed Fili's hand on her stomach. "You're gonna be a daddy, Fili." She whispered through her tears. "And I need you there. I need you here with me… Don't leave me. Please Fili. Just- Please…"

Fili's fingers started to relax and his eyes started to roll back into his head.  
"Fili!" Ella shouted and cupped his face. "No Fili, please. Wait! Please Fili… Not now. Not here. Not like this… Please love."

Fili's body went limp.

"Fili… Please wake up. Baby, please?!"

Nothing.

"FILI!" Ella screamed and the world around her went black…

…

…

…

…

…

Ella's eyes slowly opened and looked around. She wasn't on the battlefield anymore but in a small tent. She tried to sit up but was pushed down immediately. She looked up and saw Oin sitting next to her bed. Ella cried into the furs she used as a pillow.

"I don't want it anymore." Ella mumbled into the furs. "I can't do it alone."

"Ella-"

"I don't want the baby anymore, Oin!" Ella interrupted lifting her head from the furs. "I don't want it!"

"Lass-"

"Don't try and talk me out of it! I will not have this baby without Fili, just… Just take it away."

"LASSIE!" Oin said shaking her a little. "You saved him."

"Wha-what?"

"They're still breathing."

"WHAT?!"


	56. The End

**Dear readers!**

**Thank you so much for your support during the writing of this fanfiction! I love you all for the lovely reviews and it saddens me that I finished the story. But I have been thinking about a couple of things. Your reviews on the last chapter made me think about writing a sequel (I have already started the first chapter but don't know how to continue) if you want me to write it please let me know! Because I will write it if you guys want me too :3**

**Then I have a question. I want to know your favorite moments of the story. It can be any moment you want (write them all down!) :3 Send them to me in a private message or a review :3**

**Goodbye for now my lovelies!**

**And may I hear from you in the sequel (if I decide to write it) and otherwise in my upcoming stories!**

**Love you all and thank you so much again for everything!**

**XxX KneelingAngel**

**P.S.**

**Sequel is now UPLOADED! GO AND READ IT!**


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